I welcome this register. It is important that we send a very clear message in this country that there is no place for domestic violence or gender-based violence. I read with interest that others want it broadened to include more things. It is very important that the register exists. The more we talk about and call out behaviour that is not acceptable, that is costing people their lives and that is ruining people's lives, the better. I worked in a domestic violence project in London back in the 1990s. I was struck by the number of people from all walks of life from different projects supporting women. I stated recently in the Chamber that I do not know whether there is more prevalence now or more people reporting now but what I will say is that my clinics are constantly full of women experiencing horrific abuse in their homes. What happens to a woman in a relationship - if we can call it that - is that she is broken down to nothing. It corrodes everything, including her self-worth. It removes her independence and it removes every relationship she could possibly have with anyone who might be able to help her out of that situation. I said here last week that we need more people around those women to call out this behaviour. We need men to call out men on this behaviour. We need our men to tell other men to stop behaving like that, to ask them what they are doing and to tell them that is not how to treat women. We need to have an education programme for men and women to say this is not how we go on with one another and to explain what a healthy relationship is. I am so glad to see youth workers around this country working so hard to talk about consent and positive relationships with one another. Our schools could be encouraged quite strongly to do more in this case. Families could be really supportive in how we support one another to educate our young people on what is a healthy relationship and what is not, and what will happen and what needs to happen if somebody finds themselves in a relationship that is absolutely horrific for them. I pay tribute to Jennie Poole's brother Jason, who is here. I am sure this is an absolutely horrific time for him to come in here again. I am thinking about his poor sister. I would like more men to be like him. I would like more men to call out this behaviour and to challenge this behaviour so we do not have this situation. In a previous job, I worked as a designated liaison person for child safeguarding. When a child has witnessed domestic violence and been subjected to child abuse as part of that toxic horrific relationship they also need to be protected. It is very challenging to report parents to Tusla for this. Tusla is very overwhelmed and sometimes people may not get the support they need. Helping young people to understand their mammy and daddy's relationship is very challenging. Encouraging them to keep talking about it and to keep saying the things they need to say so they get the support they need is really hard. I have also been at the family court supporting family and friends who were seeking protection orders and barring orders. I have seen the shells those women became. I have been really angry with family and friends, asking why they did not call him out on that behaviour, and saying to my family and friends they should call him out on that and not to let him behave like that. The full weight of the State needs to be put on men who think that behaviour is in any way acceptable because it is not. Whatever the mechanisms we need to ensure this happens, whether it is education, a register, more laws or more punishments, let us do it.

Sentiment score: 0.09