I move amendment No. 11: In page 5, between lines 32 and 33, to insert the following: “(j) an offence under section 10 of the Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act 1997 (harassment and stalking); (k) an offence under section 4 of the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020; (l) an offence under section 33 of the Domestic Violence Act 2018.”.

Sentiment score: -0.62

I move amendment No. 13: In page 6, between lines 7 and 8, to insert the following: “(c) is a dependant, including a child, of a person referred to in paragraph (a) or (b).”. This amendment recognises a simple reality. Domestic abuse often extends beyond an intimate partner to children and other dependants. As drafted, the Bill only protects victims who are the spouse, former spouse or intimate partner of the offender. Women's Aid identified this as a significant gap during pre-legislative scrutiny, noting that convictions for serious offences against a partner's child could fall outside of the register. This amendment addresses that omission by ensuring dependants, including children, are also covered. It better reflects the reality of domestic abuse and strengthens the protection purposes of the register.

Sentiment score: -0.13

I disagree with the Minister completely. I think perpetrators of domestic violence are callous. If someone seriously assaults or abuses their partner's child, that behaviour is highly relevant to whether future partners should know about their history. Without this amendment, those convictions could fall outside the register simply because the victim was a child rather than an adult partner. The Minister is obviously not going to accept the amendment, but his is a flawed approach because I think this information is highly relevant to the type of register we are talking about here.

Sentiment score: -0.47

I move amendment No. 14: In page 6, between lines 9 and 10, to insert the following: “(14) The Minister shall, not later than 3 years after the commencement of this section, conduct a review of the operation of the Register and lay a report of that review before each House of the Oireachtas, including anonymised information on the operation of the Register, applications for removal and the offences recorded.”.”. This amendment would introduce a statutory review of the register after three years. The domestic violence judgments register will be a new scheme. It is only right that the Oireachtas should have the opportunity to assess whether it is working as intended. I am looking for a review after three years.

Sentiment score: -0.14