Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister. I acknowledge the presence earlier of his predecessor, Deputy Fitzgerald, and the Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality, Deputy Stanton, who have both done so much work on this Bill. I agree with Senator Conway-Walsh that it is important that we move swiftly through the remaining Stages, although there are some important issues in these amendments. I want to express my support for them. I acknowledge the work of SAFE Ireland and its support for the amendments, which clearly strengthen the Bill. In particular, I welcome the tightening up of the phraseology around intimate relationships, along with the specific new provision that Senator Norris has spoken about, which I think will assist victims and survivors of abuse within intimate relationships. I refer to the new provision that a relationship does not cease to be intimate merely because it is no longer sexual in nature. That is very worthwhile. As the Bill has gone through lengthy debates in this House and the other House we have made numerous improvements to it, to strengthen protection for victims and survivors generally. I will limit my remarks to that. I support the amendments in the groups put forward from the Dáil, and I hope we will have an opportunity to briefly address the Bill in its entirety at the conclusion of the debate.