Interim Justice Minister Simon Harris has promised a major crack down on domestic violence and abuse.

Between now and the summer, he plans to increase maximum sentences, strengthen victim’s rights and increase monitoring of sex offenders.

Minister Harris says he will enact legislation to make stalking and strangulation a stand alone criminal offence and change the law to double the maximum sentence for assault from 5 years to 10 years.

Electronic tagging will also begin to be used to track sex offenders.

'Concrete actions'

The Minister said that, in the coming weeks, he will publish a "major" new sexual offences bill that will "strengthen the rights of victims", ensure anonymity for victims in all trials for sexual offences and will extend the victim’s right to separate legal representation

“We are absolutely determined to see zero tolerance in Ireland towards these crimes and offences", he said.

"This involves all parts of society, all parts of government playing its parts.”

"These are concrete actions I can and will take in the legislative space in the coming weeks."

Domestic violence

A ‘Stop Killing Women’ mural was unveiled on Chancery Street, Dublin City today to remember the women who've lost their lives to femicide.

Gardaí in Cork have renewed an appeal for information connected to the murder of Bruna Fonseca, who was killed in her home on New Year's Day.

Ruth Coppinger from ROSA, the socialist feminist movement, says violence against women is a "global pandemic".

"This is the ultimate tragic outcome of gender-based violence, where women are actually killed and sometimes their children are killed", she said.

"I think it's very important that we keep the pressure on the establishment, the Dáil, to take action in terms of real resources."

Main image shows Minister for Higher Education and Justice Simon Harris. Picture by: Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie