Katherine Zappone (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I shall start from where Deputy Anne Ferris finished. My question could be answered by a couple of the organisations because it is the same question and concerns legislation. Many of the witnesses have argued that we need to recognise domestic violence in different types of legislation, whether it is the Housing Act 1988, the Housing Regulations 2011, immigration law, the new Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill and also in terms of the habitual residence condition in legislation. The delegations have largely argued for domestic violence to be recognised in different legislation so that women and children have access to services. Why do they think there is a resistance to recognising domestic violence in each of those pieces of legislation? What would they say to us, as lawmakers, to get around that problem?