THE Minister for Health, Mr Noonan, has encouraged women to bring prosecutions in cases where they are being abused, including cases against their spouses.
Women, he said, were slow to take action, particularly because of what might happen to the children. He added that the "full rigours of the law will be brought against any abuser, no matter under what circumstances".
The Minister was introducing a nationwide £1 million scheme yesterday as the first step in implementing the recommendations of the report of the Task Force on Violence Against Women.
The Minister said: "Women are entitled to live in safety, above all in their own homes. Violence against them is always a serious crime which can never be tolerated or trivialised."