Sarah Everard and Nadine Lott honoured by Kildare Senator in Seanad speech

A Kildare based Senator took to the floor of the Senate yesterday to honour the memory of two young women, Sarah Everard and Nadine Lott.

Both women had lost their lives in brutal circumstances at the hands of violent men.

Fianna Fáil Senator Fiona O’Loughlin said: "No matter where any of us were over the weekend, our thoughts were consumed with two fine women Sarah Everard  and Nadine Lott and  their  beautiful smiles, and thinking about the  grief and the horror that  they went through in their  last   hours of life and  of course  the grief and sorrow of their  families."

She said that as Chair of the Oireachtas Parliamentary Womens caucus, she would work with her colleagues to raise awareness of these issues, and to ensure that they do absolutely everything they can to protect women; and "to ensure that our female citizens can walk our streets safely and without fear."

"It is important that we acknowledge the really good work done by many organisations out there such as Women's Aid, Rape Crisis Ireland and Safe Ireland," she said.

"We need to ensure that every county has a refuge centre, that gives victims of domestic violence supports, and helps them to leave dangerous situations.

She added: "We are lucky to have Teach Tearmainn in Kildare who do such wonderful work, but we need to ensure that when someone needs support, and needs refuge that the supports are there."

Senator O’Loughlin concluded: "It is vital that in the wake of these tragic deaths that we send a strong message to men, to call out abnormal behaviour among their peers."

"I think we need to do more to ensure that men do not carry out these acts of violence."

It was previously announced on Monday that the then-boyfriend of young mother Nadine Lott, Daniel Murtagh, was given the mandatory life sentence for her murder in December 2019.

In addition, disgraced London Met officer Wayne Couzens was last week charged with raping and murdering 33-year-old Sarah Everard.

Couzens used his position to falsely arrest Everard in order to kidnap, rape and murder her.

A protest for the late Ms Everard, made up of around 200 women, took place in March 2016 and took place in Dublin, coinciding with the controversial original protest in the UK.

Similar protests erupted in the wake of Ms Everard's murder, with the Met being criticised for their response to the situation and for failing to fully investigate Couzens.

Debates about the place of women's safety in society continue to take place in the wake of Ms Everard's and Ms Lott's horrific deaths.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call Samaritans Ireland at 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.ie, or you can contact the Rape Crisis Centre by clicking here.

Help is always at hand and there is always someone available to listen.