Lynn Ruane (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Amendment No. 27 in the names of Senators Black and Ruane seeks to do something similar in respect of out-of-hours emergency barring orders. I became aware yesterday that there are only ten beds available in women's refuges and I raised this on the Order of Business, as the service in Rathmines is closed. The service in Tallaght is struggling. As there is no provision to protect women in their own homes, especially if the they do not have family to whom they can go, and if they cannot flee their home and seek refuge anywhere, to have access to an emergency barring order would ensure that women can remain safe within the refuge of their home and not have to leave the house in the middle of the night because they cannot access a refuge. This is a simple amendment which states, "On request from a Garda attending a domestic violence incident, a Garda of appropriate rank, can authorise communicating with an on-call judge to apply for an out of hours barring order". It is straightforward and simple. Senator Black and I will press this amendment.