Drogheda pilot for domestic-violence scheme
An initiative aimed at strengthening protection for children affected by violence in the home is to be piloted in Drogheda ahead of the enactment of legislation on the issue.
Operation Encompass is an early-intervention strategy that involves gardaí notifying a child’s school if there is a domestic-violence incident in the child’s home, so that a teacher can provide care and support.
The strategy has been operating in schools across the North since 2021.
The General Scheme of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences, Domestic Violence and International Instruments) Bill 2025, approved by Government last year, includes the enabling provisions that would allow gardai to share such information with a designated person in a school.
Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan held a meeting in Drogheda yesterday (19 March) involving gardaí, the PSNI, school principals, education partners, and Government officials North and South.
Information exchange
The meeting was held to exchange information and lessons learned from rolling out Operation Encompass across the North.
The minister said that work was underway to introduce a pilot in Drogheda that would mirror the North’s initial pilot in Downpatrick in 2021.
“This will be followed by a national rollout to all schools when the necessary legislation has been enacted,” he said.
“Operation Encompass aligns with existing safeguarding frameworks within the Irish education system – including statutory child-protection obligations and the strong emphasis on pastoral care within schools,” said Cuan chief executive Dr Stephanie O’Keeffe.