Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I know it is open to the victim to leave or make a phone call or come back in an hour or a week. Where the accompanying person is asked to leave for good reason, we need to be mindful that in some cases it can take a lot of courage for the victim to take the initial step to make a complaint. They may be slow to take the step again if they do leave. There should be some sort of follow-up procedure with a victim who decides to leave because the accompanying person has been asked to absent him or herself. If the victim then decides not to go any further, it is critical there should be some follow-up to give them every opportunity to make a complaint at a later date. The onus should not be put back on the victim. The victim may not have somebody else whom they trust or can turn to accompany them. Will the Minister of State examine this follow-up provision?