Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: Motion
Seanad Éireann — 2026-05-12
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Eileen Flynn (IND), Administrative Panel

We need protection for women. I have had to put safety measures in my family home where I am trying my hardest to rear two lovely children. I am never going to be the same public representative that I was four weeks ago. The Garda has been absolutely brilliant. I have been working with the guards over the past four weeks, but it does not stop the impact of having to look over your shoulder afraid. The majority are men and it is gender-based violence. You are living in fear in your own home. I have had to talk and communicate almost every day in the past four weeks with the Garda because there is something new coming through the emails. That is unfair, as it is to even stand up in this Chamber and be shaking while asking if I am talking right enough for them. I do not give two damns about them. It took women like me a long time to get these seats and we should be protected. All women in this country should be protected from online abuse. I bring that to the Minister's attention today. I am not making this debate about one single issue, but women are not safe in their own homes because of online abuse. I know the four Fianna Fáil Senators who brought this motion forward have all experienced abuse online. It is like pulling teeth trying to bring these men to justice. It is doable and you can do it. By God, you can do it, but it is a hard process.
We talk about children online. I brought forward the child trafficking Bill to name child pornography for what it is. I know the Minister gave a commitment last year to bring it forward in the Dáil. It would be a step forward today if there were any way we could rush up that legislation, to start from where we are at and protect the most vulnerable people in society, who are our children. It is not up to the parents. Parents may buy a child a phone for their Confirmation. Every house does it differently. I know I would not buy my children a phone, but I am not here to judge other parents. It is the multinational social media platforms that we are not holding to account, and we should hold them to account.

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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