Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I join with Senator O'Brien in thanking the Leader for outlining the format of the debates for next week. I welcome the fact that the focus will be on jobs, because a number of Members have called for a debate on this issue, and it is good to hear that the Minister for Finance, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and the Minister of State at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation will be here to discuss different aspects of the jobs strategy.

I ask the Leader to arrange a debate on the forthcoming report of the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality on domestic violence. There are suggestions before the Committee on Procedures and Privileges that the Seanad formally debate reports from Oireachtas committees, and it would be good to see that set up formally. The Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality is currently in the process of conducting hearings on domestic and gender-based violence. We had an excellent series of presentations yesterday and last week we had another excellent set of presentations which have been discussed on the floor of this House. Indeed, Senator Mulcahy made a particularly powerful contribution in that regard. It would be good for this House to debate the report that the Oireachtas committee produces, which will recommend specific changes in legislation that may assist in more effective tackling or combating of domestic and gender-based violence.