Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is entirely right. While we need to pass legislation in this House, the education piece is key. My colleague, the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, is leading on a number of actions in that area, including overhauling the social, personal and health education, SPHE, curriculum, effective from next September, and work on age-appropriate primary school education in this space. There is a cultural element involved here. The horrific Andrew Tate-type online scenario gave us a real insight into that. It caused parents throughout the country considerable worry about what their children are accessing online.

I will be bringing forward significant legislation in the coming weeks and months. The Government has now approved the publication of a Bill which will increase, from five to ten years, the maximum sentence for assault causing harm, which is one of the most common offences in domestic violence cases. The new legislation, which is before the House, also contains a provision to make stalking and non-fatal strangulation stand-alone offences. While both are already crimes, this will make the law clearer and stronger.

I will also seek to enact the sex offenders Bill, which will strengthen the management and monitoring of sex offenders, including giving our courts the power to electronically tag sex offenders. I intend to update sexual offences legislation, including updating the law with regard to consent and introducing many reforms to support the victim, including victim representation and anonymity in court.

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