Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I do not see why it is appropriate that an Irish citizen should be triable in Ireland on the charge that he threw a punch in Australia.I do not see why that should be the case, and the Istanbul Convention to implement that in Irish law does not require that to be the case. I fully accept the point the Minister made on Second Stage, because I took the trouble to read his speech, that it cannot be women only, particularly in this day and age, and that we have to consider domestic violence involving males as well, male to male and female to female. I do think, however, that point is very widely cast and the Minister should think hard about proceeding with this in its present state and at least indicate that he would on Report Stage entertain an amendment to narrow the scope of that definition.