Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (Resumed)
Seanad Éireann — 2026-04-28
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Chris Andrews (CC), Labour Panel

I welcome the Minister, Deputy Calleary, back to the House to finish the matter that was interrupted earlier. Senators Stephenson and Rabbitte have a minute between them.

Patricia Stephenson (SD), Labour Panel

I thank the Minister for coming back. I also extend my thanks to Senators O'Loughlin and Rabbitte, in particular Senator Rabbitte, who spoke passionately about this last October. I want to put that on the record. When we talk about free travel and the financial burden, it is so much more than that because it is actually giving women and people who experience domestic violence back their agency after years of living in an abusive situation where their power has been taken away from them, their decision-making has been taken away from them and they have lived under this fear. This is not only a financial provision; we are actually empowering them and helping them to believe in themselves and trust themselves. That is why this is such an important intervention, and hopefully we can find similar interventions.
I know the domestic violence rent supplement has been introduced but I hope we can find other interventions in that space that give back agency and power to people who have had so much of that removed from them through living in that violent situation. This is what this does so well and it is a real model that we can bring forward in other areas.

Anne Rabbitte (FF), Nominated by the Taoiseach

I thank the Chair for his indulgence in letting me in, and the Minister for his listening ability. It was really pragmatic of him and his Department to take on board what was said that night. It does make a difference here in the Seanad that we can work across party and get jobs done even if they are small, but this is huge. It is a small step in the right direction. It will have a huge impact on a lot of women when they make that step to go forward to leave the home to know that there is travel support there for them that is non-means-tested and flexible depending on the number of children they need to support.

Dara Calleary (FF), Mayo

I reiterate my thanks to Senators Stephenson, Rabbitte and O'Loughlin, the Civil Engagement Group and all the Senators who spoke that night because it really brought this issue home to me. We have outlined the details of the protocol. The payments will be administered by community welfare officers in my Department, who are available online as well. I emphasise that people do not have to make physical contact with them. It can be done online.
We have gone through the levels of payment and the additional costs. To touch on Senator Stephenson's point, there are other forms of financial assistance available through additional needs payments to assist with essential expenses such as rent deposits, rent in advance and household bills that cannot be paid from weekly income at a particular time. They are means-tested but the service is there to provide assistance.
As I have said, we have so much more work to do in this space and all of us need to talk about the supports that are available, grow those supports and ensure people know that support is there when they make that incredibly courageous decision - that the support and back-up is there. I thank Cuan, Safe Ireland, Women's Aid and the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre for working with us on this, but I am very conscious that this is only a small step and we have a lot more to do.
I thank the Upper House. This is probably the kind of forum where this can get done, more so than in the Dáil, frankly, because of the shared commitment of everybody here to this.

Chris Andrews (CC), Labour Panel

I acknowledge Joseph P. McGill, who is Honorary Consul in Detroit. He is very welcome. He is a guest of Deputy John Paul O'Shea and is in good hands. I am sure Deputy O'Shea will be delivering lunch to Mr. McGill later.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-04-28/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:52+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-28