Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Domestic Violence Bill, which goes through Committee Stage in the Dáil. I commend all those involved in it and the support given to Members from the front-line services, particularly Safe Ireland. I hope the Bill will journey quickly through to Report and Final Stages.

I want to talk about an interesting development known as Clare's Law, which has come into force in Northern Ireland. It allows women to ask the police if their partner has a history of violence against women. It arose from a case in England where a woman, Clare Wood, was murdered by her former partner. She was unaware of his previous history of violence against women.

Under this system, if a woman fears for her safety due to her partner's behaviour, she can ask the police about his history. The most innovative aspect of this is that the application can be made online. This means that a vulnerable woman does not have to make the physical journey to a police station. The PSNI then has a duty to inform the woman of any knowledge of behaviour which could pose a risk. It aims to have this information within 40 days but this can happen quicker if there is a serious risk present.

Another innovative aspect is that concerned family members and friends can also ask for this information. It is all about giving women the information to make decisions about their own relationships. I welcome this because so many times, we hear where abusive partners of women in particular, although I acknowledge that it often happens to men, have had previous abusive relationships of which the women are unaware.

In Northern Ireland, women and their relatives and friends can inform themselves about this. Sometimes it can be easier to spot the abusive behavioural signs from the outside and people watching a situation from the outside can now get this information. I welcome that. I look forward to the passing of the Domestic Violence Bill here. The introduction of Clare's Law in this State should be looked at and it should be used as part of an all-island approach to addressing the issue of violence against women.