Colette Kelleher (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I cannot tell the Minister of State how wonderful it is to be here to welcome this amendment. It is truly groundbreaking. I congratulate the Minister of State and his officials for listening and considering the issue. He was sceptical and could see a lot of difficulties, but he was persuaded. I am delighted the Government has listened to the arguments made and has come back with such a comprehensive amendment in the area of coercive control.

We all know domestic violence is not always about a broken arm or a black eye. Women, in particular, although not exclusively, have suffered for years, but this was not recognised as abuse. It is vital that we recognise in law that psychological abuse does happen. According to SAFE Ireland, one in three women in Ireland have experienced psychological violence from a partner at some point in their lives, a startling and arresting statistic. A law against coercive control was recently introduced in the UK. It is a significant problem not just in Ireland but all over the world. The Bill will be much stronger because of this amendment and amendment No. 47b.

I again thank the Minister of State and his officials for taking the time to carefully consider the issue. I would like to pay tribute to all who were involved in progressing this, especially the inspiration and doggedness of Dr. Evan Stark. I would add one minor concern about the penalty. Like everything else, I would it to be more severe at up to ten years rather than five. It is great to be present for a debate in which this offence is named and recognised.