Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: Motion
Seanad Éireann — 2026-05-12
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Garret Kelleher (FG), Industrial and Commercial Panel

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire as ucht teacht isteach agus páirt a ghlacadh sa díospóireacht anseo tráthnóna inniu.
Is é an pointe is tábhachtaí gur féidir liomsa a dhéanamh anseo mar gheall ar reachtaíocht i dTithe an Oireachtais a bhaineann le foréigean teaghlaigh, gnéasach agus inscnebhunaithe ná go gcaithfidh tacaíocht d'íospartaigh a bheith i gcroílár gach a ndéanaimid. Caithfimid gach iarracht gur féidir linn a dhéanamh chun a chinntiú go bhfuil ár gcóras ceartais choiriúil níos atruachaí agus go bhfuil níos mó tacaíochta á cur ar fáil dóibh siúd a d'fhulaing ó chiontóirí na coiriúlachta baile, gnéasaí agus inscnebhunaithe.
The most important point I can make in relation to legislation on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is that support for victims must be at the heart of everything we do. We must ensure that we have a more victim-centred criminal justice system that recognises that victims' suffering continues long after an offence has been committed and long after an offender has been sentenced. It must also recognise the stress, anxiety and re-traumatisation experienced by victims when the perpetrators of crimes against them are released from prison. While the horrors of these crimes can never be fully erased, we need to continuously work to improve our laws so as to provide as much support and solace as we can to survivors of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.
By developing a more compassionate and victim-centred criminal justice system, we can work towards achieving two outcomes: first, supporting and protecting victims who have found the courage to report the horrendous crimes to which they have been subjected; and second, giving survivors who have not yet managed to bring themselves to report a domestic, sexual or gender-based crime committed against them the confidence to do so, knowing that they can expect a more compassionate, supportive and fairer criminal justice system.
As alluded to by Senators Rabbitte and Comyn, the importance of working with organisations such as Cuan, Women's Aid and Rape Crisis Ireland, and directly with victims and survivors, cannot be overstated. This afternoon, representatives of Rape Crisis Ireland and Women's Aid appeared before the Joint Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration. They stressed the importance of providing protections to victims and that new legislative provisions should be applied retrospectively, where possible, to victims of historical offences. The Minister might comment on this in his reply. The representatives also said the supports afforded by the criminal justice system must be lifelong, recognising the ongoing trauma experienced by victims.
Like Senator McCarthy in his comments, I want to touch on the progress made on the use of counselling notes and give due credit to the Minister in this regard. I am very happy to see the legislative progress made recently in restricting the use of counselling notes in criminal trials. I thank the Minister for his work in this area.
As Senators Rabbitte, Gallagher, Ruane and McDowell will be aware, the joint committee recently heard from a survivor of rape. In a powerful testimony, she informed us that although the counselling she had received had saved her life, she would not have gone to counselling at all if she had known her counselling notes would be used against her in the subsequent criminal trial. That, in itself, says an awful lot. I very much welcome how open the Minister was in ensuring the criminal justice system would become much more compassionate when it comes to something as sensitive as counselling notes.
Like others, I want to make reference to sex for rent. I thank our colleague Senator Laura Harmon, in particular, for the great work she has done in highlighting this practice, advocating for the rights of many vulnerable people seeking accommodation throughout the country and working directly with the Minister to ensure seeking sex in lieu of rent is criminalised.
I welcome the Bill's reference to the examination of proposals to remove guardianship rights from those convicted of killing their partner or the parent of their child. This has been discussed by the joint committee.
Arís, ar son Fhine Gael, gabhaim buíochas le Fianna Fáil as ucht an díospóireacht seo a chur os ár gcomhair. Táim thar a bheith sásta mo chuid tacaíochta a thabhairt don rún.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-05-12/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:55+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-12