In October 1996, a Task Force on Violence against Women was established under the aegis of the Office of the Tánaiste. Membership of the Task Force included representatives from the relevant Government Departments, the service providers, the medical profession, the legal profession, the clergy, and the Health Boards.

The Government asked the Task Force to develop a co-ordinated response and strategy on the problem of mental, physical and sexual violence against women - with a particular focus on domestic violence. In particular the Task Force should:

• examine existing services and supports (emergency, interim and long term) for women who have been subjected to violence;
• examine legislation dealing with the victims and perpetrators of domestic violence;
• make recommendations on how legislation, services and supports could be improved and made more effective;
• examine the causes of violence against women (including, if necessary, initiating research);
• make recommendations for a comprehensive preventative strategy;
• examine rehabilitation programmes for perpetrators of such crimes.

The Task Force made Recommendations in key areas:

• There should be a National Strategy on violence against women;
• There should be co-ordination of services and policies at local, regional and national level;
• The raising of public awareness about Domestic Violence, particularly the fact that it is a crime issue;
• Violence in family should be seen as being worse than that committed by a stranger and that Judges should treat it as an aggravating factor, not a mitigating factor;
• Principles of "best practice" in terms of the treatment of victims and of dealing with perpetrators should be developed;
• There was a call for improvements in the way that the Criminal Justice system deals with crimes of violence against women;
• There was a call for the development of preventative strategies, including intervention programmes which would make perpetrators accountable for their actions.