In response to Parliamentary Questions asked by multiple TDs and Senators the Minister for Justice has given the following response:
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The ‘Study on Familicide and Domestic and Family Violence Death Reviews’ was commissioned by my Department and involved an independent study lead who consulted with a wide range of stakeholders, including family members of victims, non-governmental organisations, and State agencies.
The review was brought to Government and published in May 2023.
A significant number of the recommendations made in the review are already being progressed as part of our work to tackle domestic abuse and protect victims.
A team has been established in my Department to review the other recommendations made in the review. These include a recommendation on restricting parental rights in cases of domestic homicide. In the case of this recommendation, the issues to be considered include the role and power of Tusla to take appropriate child protection action in emergency situations, the importance of putting the rights and voice of the child at the centre of our responses, and ensuring that nothing is done that could prejudice a trial.
In reviewing all these recommendations, the team are in consultation with stakeholder groups that have been established to support this work, involving relevant officials, civil society partners and most importantly the families of victims that contributed to the review. These consultations will inform how the recommendations are taken forward.
Meetings with the stakeholders have taken place in June/early July and in August of this year, and I understand that officials in my Department are currently drafting a paper specifically related to guardianship rights if a parent is in custody, accused of, or serving a sentence for, the murder or manslaughter of the other parent.
Further Information:
https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2024-09-09/1077