Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputies O'Reilly and McDonald and all of those who worked so hard to bring this Bill forward.

I welcome the Government's position that it will not oppose the Bill this evening. I have worked for many years in the area of family support. I was also a member of the Dublin 15 domestic violence subgroup and I have worked with many women who experience domestic violence on a daily basis. I have seen at first hand the stress and distress of many victims of domestic violence with regard to their jobs. The fear that if they take another day off, their jobs will be at risk or if they take a sick day, which many are forced to do, they will lose a day's pay that they desperately need to pay rent, put food on the table, pay the mortgage or meet the costs of items they need for Christmas or a confirmation, school clothes for their children and the many other demands faced by families, particularly women, during these times.

The effects of domestic violence and sexual assault do not stop when the victim leaves the family home to go to work.

It affects the victim 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

I was reading a report today from a service which informs us all about the daily effects of domestic violence. It states that as a domestic abuse support service, it has listened to many clients who have disclosed how they have experienced domestic violence in their workplace, including stalking, excessive phone calls, threats and being dragged from their desks when working, leaving work early due to a crisis at home and absenteeism due injury or stress. It also states that victims have left their homes at night with only the clothes on their backs, stayed in a refuge that may be miles away from their support network, and have had multiple court visits to seek specific domestic violence orders.

The introduction of a mandatory ten days of statutory paid leave will show the people of the State that we recognise the need to support victims of domestic abuse in the workplace. The person experiencing abuse will be able to take time out from work without having to worry about losing wages or being forced to take annual leave or sick leave, and it will hopefully end the fear of them losing their jobs.

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