The Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone says she seriously considered walking out of Government last week, but stayed because of the job she has to do.

Ms Zappone says this includes looking for more funding for the Women’s Aid helpline.

The group is asking for more money as it launched a 24-hour service and reported it is now answering 41 calls a day.

As the crisis over the Apple tax ruling engulfed the Government last week, Ms Zappone has revealed she nearly quit the job.

She said: “I considered it at length over a couple of days.”

However, she says she stayed because of the work she has to do, today launching the Women’s Aid 24-hour helpline.

The service is now answering 41 calls a day and recorded an increase following the murder-suicide of the Hawe family in Cavan last week.

Director Margaret Martin said there was “a very significant spike in the use of our website and a very significant number of callers over the last week.”

The service costs €75,000 a year to run and Minister Zappone says she will see if there is Government funding available for it.

She said: “We are beginning our negotiations for estimates and I will be meeting with Minister Donohoe this afternoon.

“It’s very important to me to see that we can get more monies into services such as Women’s Aid.”

In the wake of the Cavan case, Minister Zappone says Government is keen to support families in distress and asked people to use the support services.