Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The disability/equality (miscellaneous provisions) Bill will be published next year. I do not expect the Seanad Bill to be published before the close of the session but I hope to have a debate before the close of business here on the report produced by the group looking at the opportunities that might exist with respect to the Seanad.

On primary care, free GP care has been extended to children under six and those over 70. The next intention is to have all children of working families covered by this, and that will require an adjustment to the GP contract. The Minister for Health will engage with GPs on that matter and discussions are to take place or are already under way in this regard.

The Deputy asked about domestic violence. This is the international day opposing violence against women. The words "domestic" and "violence" do not go together. On 5 November, Ireland signed the Istanbul Convention, a European Council convention on combating violence against women. The general scheme of the reformed and consolidated domestic violence Bill was published before the summer recess. The Bill, which will enhance the legislative measures available within the civil law system to support victims, is currently being drafted. It will also introduce reforms aimed at assisting in the process of what is contained in the Istanbul Convention. Separately, the landmark new criminal justice (victims of crime) Bill, which will be published shortly, seeks to put victims at the heart of the justice system. It will introduce, for the first time, statutory rights for victims of crime, and the development of a second national strategy to address domestic and sexual violence is taking place.

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