TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR has defended Justice Minister Helen McEntee’s record on law and order and said her number one priority has been on cracking down on domestic and gender-based violence while minister. 

His comments were made today in the Dáil in response to a question from Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín.

During leaders’ questions Tóibín accused McEntee of “focusing on the culture wars and forgetting about the bread and butter issues that are actually affecting so many people in the country”.

McEntee has come under increased pressure since the summer as issues within the gardaí and crime in Dublin, and across the country, made headlines.

On top of this, she faced significant opposition to her proposed Hate Speech Bill, which was ultimately delayed. Despite speculation, McEntee has maintained that the delay has not been because of the pushback.

Tóibín raised the issue of garda shortages today in the Dáil and also asked the Taoiseach to introduce custodial sentences to any person who injures a member of the gardaí.

“There has to be a minimum sentence for those who actually attack or physically harm a garda. And we need to make sure the garda know that the terms conditions and pay that garda have will increase to make the job attractive so that young men and women will take up posts.

“Until those two things are done, we will continue to see this crisis continued throughout communities in this country,” he said. 

In response, the Taoiseach said he is aware of the issues facing gardaí and the risk of violence and said this is why McEntee has focused on introducing body cams for members of the force.

He also hit back strongly against Tóibín’s comments on the culture wars and said: 

“I’m not sure what you really mean by the cultural wars, but if anyone’s distracted by them Deputy, it’s probably you – not Minister McEntee.”

He continued: “I know Minister McEntee from the time she was working in this building as a PA to her father. I know Minister McEntee, I know what her number one priority has been as minister and it is cracking down on domestic and gender-based violence.”

The Taoiseach said murder and manslaughter statistics for this year show women being killed “by the men they know”, not gang land related crimes.

“That she has made that a priority shows how serious she is about the serious crime of gender and domestic based violence,” the Taoiseach said.