Lynn Ruane (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I echo everything that others have said about how important and needed the legislation is. It is brilliant. I have one or two queries. I want to avoid being too particular or specific. If a woman ends up having to go to a refuge a fair way away from her workplace, is there scope within the Bill to cater for extenuating circumstances and allow that woman to apply for additional leave? Is the amount of leave to be set at ten days, after which a woman cannot apply to extend it even if she was put into a refuge an hour away from her workplace and could not drive or whatever the circumstances might be that would make it impossible?

My other questions relate to the scope of the Bill. If an employee discloses an instance of domestic abuse, will there be a training or information campaign targeted at employers so they know how to manage the situation and understand what is expected of them and what is not expected of them? In some cases, that might mean ensuring an employer does not overreach and make a situation worse because somebody has disclosed a certain situation. Is there scope within the Bill to provide support to employers or some sort of information campaign directed at employers so they know how to manage these situations? I understand what the Deputy has said about the leave being seen in the same way as any other leave but it is hard to know what way an employer will respond to a person saying he or she is taking domestic violence leave. We must ensure that employers understand what is and is not expected of them in that situation.