Domestic Violence Judgments Register Bill 2026: Committee and Remaining Stages
Seanad Éireann — 2026-06-25
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Jim O'Callaghan (FF), Dublin Bay South

I thank Senator Ruane for putting down the amendment. Consideration has obviously been given to the extent to which the address of the offender, the convicted person, should be published. That is why it is contained within a separate subsection, namely the proposed section 40A(6). As the Senator can see, the court is to be given a discretionary power to omit the residential address. The factor to be taken into account in determining whether to include or omit the residential address is the interests of justice.
On the issues Senator Ruane has highlighted, we have to consider the situation at present if there is a journalistic report in a newspaper of a person being convicted of a very serious criminal offence against an intimate partner. At present, there is no preclusion or prohibition on the publication of the address. In many instances, the addresses are published and people are aware of them. I am not aware of incidences of people being subject to vigilantism, to use the Senator's words. I do understand that could happen but it could happen as things are at present.
One of the motivating factors behind the legislation is the recognition of the inconsistency that operates in respect of certain offences being reported and other offences not being reported. It is certainly the case that if you are a well-known person, your case will be reported on. It is also the case that if your case is tried and your conviction takes place in the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin, there is a greater likelihood of it being reported because of the constant presence of journalists there. However, you could be convicted of a similarly serious offence by the Circuit Court in a courthouse down the country and, because there is no journalist in the courthouse, nobody would know about it.
Senator Ruane has suggested that the section be amended to expressly refer to "safety, and the best interests of a child". However, the Bill already includes within it the determining factor, that is, whether it is in the interests of justice. When considering whether the interests of justice require the omission of a residential address, I have no doubt that the judge will weigh up all of the factors of the particular case. This will necessarily include the circumstances of the convicted person, of the victim and of any children connected to the case.
It is unquestionably the case that, in determining this matter, the court will take into account the factors the Senator's amendment seeks to expressly include, including the interests of a child living in the House where the convicted person resides. Considerations of safety and welfare will be paramount in any decision as to whether it is in the interests of justice not to publish a residential address. As a result, I will not be accepting the amendment. Senator Ruane's concerns are already recognised within the legislation by the fact that residential addresses are dealt with by a separate subsection, section 40A(6), and by the fact that the interests of justice are broad enough to cover the issues the Senator is concerned about.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-06-25/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:07+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-25