Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I thank all the witnesses for joining us today. I have two questions. The first is for the representatives from the MRCI, and it concerns domestic violence. I am concerned by the point they made about migrant women continuing to encounter barriers in exiting situations of domestic violence, accessing support services and retaining their immigration status. Most disturbing of all is that our immigration system actually facilitates domestic violence and coercion, in that people' status is linked to that of their partners' and there is no entitlement to retain immigration status following a separation. The witnesses indicated that some limited measures had been undertaken, but I ask them to explain the importance of proper reform in this area.

My second question is for the representatives of the Amal Women's Association and concerns the issue of maternity. I commend the organisation's research and practical engagement on maternity care. I am aware of the barriers faced by different minority groups and disabled people, but these findings highlight the need for staff training and more bespoke interventions. Reference was made to the 4% of the participants who were pregnant and who presented to the hospital for the first time when they were in labour. Do the witnesses have suggestions for what measures need to be put in place to address that issue? The research also found that 15% of participants reported incidents of macro-aggressions, mostly verbal abuse, with women reporting being shouted at, being told to remove their headscarves and of there being hostile attitudes regarding the need to remain as modest as possible. I ask the witnesses to elaborate on that aspect as well.