Pauline O'Reilly (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I ma delighted that this Bill has reached this Stage. I thank Senator Chambers for pursuing it doggedly to get to this point. It has proceeded quite quickly and I do not think it would have proceeded to this Stage if not for her determination. The reason the Bill is so important is that we are in a crisis. There has been no reduction in violence against women. Stalking does not always result in violence but it creates a level of fear and interruption in a woman's life. The victim is usually a woman although it sometimes affects men.

The fact that 40% of the people in this Chamber are women means that a lot of this type of legislation is coming through this House. I ask the Minister to give it her utmost attention and priority. The Joint Committee on Gender Equality has just formed in order to look at the recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly and we will also have a number of sessions on gender-based violence. We will meet the Minister again at that committee. We urgently want some of the Bills to which she has already agreed to come before us so we can debate them and, ultimately, pass them quickly in order to protect women in our society.