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 Senators for the manner in which they have dealt with this legislation. I again commend Jason Poole on really being the catalyst and driver of this legislation so that we can get this law, Jennie's law, through the Houses of the Oireachtas.
As I stated on the amendments that were discussed, it is a novel piece of legislation. I start from a premise that justice in Ireland is to be administered in public. People should have information available in respect of criminal convictions that happen in our courts. We are dealing here with our most serious courts, where there are indictable offences being heard and people are convicted of them. This legislation will provide a mechanism for judges to decide whether or not the judgment should be published and information should be available on serious criminal offences perpetrated by persons against intimate partners or former partners. There is a public benefit in that information being available. People are entitled to know what is happening in our courts. It is not possible for people to be fully aware of what is happening in our courts because there is such a breadth of work ongoing on a daily basis in the courts throughout Ireland and, in fairness, journalists cannot be expected to cover every case. I believe this process is an important start in ensuring that people can get more information about of indictable offences in respect of which there is a criminal conviction before our courts.
I thank Senators for their contribution. I value the discussion that we have had here. Once this legislation is enacted, we will learn from it. I have no doubt it will be necessary to come back to tweak it and to change it, or maybe to add to it, but it is important that we set the principle out that when people are convicted of serious offences by our courts there has to be a mechanism available in the context of intimate relationships here that people can get access to that information.

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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