Thurles Information

Dr Michelle Walsh’s Election to GREVIO Strengthens Ireland’s International Role on Ending Gender-Based Violence.

Ireland has secured an important place in European efforts to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence following the election of Dr Michelle Walsh to GREVIO, the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence. Her election was welcomed by Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Mr Jim O’Callaghan, who presented the result as recognition of her professional standing and Ireland’s commitment to tackling gender-based violence.

GREVIO is the independent expert body that monitors how countries implement the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, widely known as the Istanbul Convention. Dr Walsh was elected after a competitive selection process at a meeting of the Committee of the Parties to the Convention in Strasbourg, where five experts were chosen to begin four-year terms on 1st September 2026.

Dr Walsh’s success on the first count reflected the strength of her candidacy, her specialist knowledge, and her extensive practical experience, the result of which remains linked to Ireland’s reputation for engaging with domestic, sexual and gender-based violence at national and international levels.

Dr Walsh is Chief Executive Officer of MOVE Ireland, the national programme working with perpetrators of domestic abuse. She has more than 15 years of experience across the DSGBV field and is a fully accredited psychotherapist, clinical supervisor and trainer. Her career includes frontline programme delivery, applied research, policy development, evaluation of systems and services, professional education, and specialist training. She has also contributed to European cooperation through her work as a board member of the European Network for the Work with Perpetrators of Domestic Violence.

The Minister also recognised the service of Ellen O’Malley Dunlop, Ireland’s current member of GREVIO, whose term is due to conclude in August. Her contribution, including her role as Vice-President of the Committee, was acknowledged as an important part of Ireland’s engagement with the Convention.

Ireland’s domestic policy is closely connected to the Istanbul Convention. The State is a party to the Convention, and its Zero Tolerance Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence 2022–2026 is organised around the Convention’s four pillars: prevention, protection, prosecution, and coordinated policies. Dr Walsh’s election reinforces Ireland’s role in promoting stronger standards, better accountability, and more effective responses to gender-based violence across Europe.