More than half of all women murdered since 1996 were killed by a current or former partner.

That represents 52% of resolved murder cases where the victim was a woman.

Women's Aid has held a moment silence for each of those 78 victims this morning and laid shoes representing each of them - and the 10 children who died alongside them - outside Leinster House.

The group says domestic violence remains a constant threat and society must change the conversation if the situation is to improve.

Women's Aid organised the minute silence - which took place outside the Dáil at 11am this morning.

The sign outside Leinster House this morning | Image: Richard Chambers

Invitations were extended to all TDs and Senators - and members from all parties - to hold shoes representing all the women and children who were murdered. Women's Aid has called on them to push forward with the Justice Committee's call to make domestic violence itself a crime.

Over 17,000 women called the Women's Aid freephone helpline last year - with many women critical of the inconsistent approach offered by the gardaí and Courts Service.

Margaret Martin from Women's Aid  says it is time for the public to wake up to threat women face in their own homes.