A DONEGAL councillor has reacted with alarm to new Women’s Aid figures showing a record 62,275 disclosures of domestic abuse against women and children in Ireland during 2025, a 33% increase on the previous year.
Cllr Joy Beard said the statistics were a stark reminder that abuse continues to affect thousands of families, describing them as “absolutely heart breaking.”
“Behind every one of the 62,275 disclosures is a woman, a child or a family living through fear, coercive control, intimidation or violence. No one should have to live in fear in their own home, yet these figures show that this is the reality for far too many people,” she said.
Women’s Aid has warned the figures represent only the tip of the iceberg, with one in three women in Ireland experiencing domestic abuse during her lifetime.
While welcoming the courage shown by those coming forward, Cllr Beard said the scale of the increase demanded a urgent response from government and society.
“A 33% increase should be a wake-up call. Every disclosure represents enormous courage, but it also reminds us that many more victims may still be suffering in silence,” she said.
The councillor praised the work of the Donegal Women’s Centre, Women’s Aid, Lifeline Inishowen, An Garda Síochána and other frontline services, but warned they need sustained investment to meet growing demand.
She also raised a specific Donegal access-to-justice concern, noting that while 25 solicitors remain on the Legal Aid Board’s panel in the county, only two are currently accepting referrals. Cllr Beard said she has written to the Minister for Justice seeking urgent action on the matter.
“Domestic abuse is not a private issue, it is a societal issue,” she said. “These figures must not simply become another headline. They must be a catalyst for action.”