Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Over recent weeks people across the country have been shocked and upset by the sad passing of Ashling Murphy and the subsequent alleged assaults against women in Kilkenny and across the country. People have been rightly upset and moved. However, on the alleged assault in Fermoy, there is somewhat of a positive story in that the two young 16-year-old boys intervened. They made a decision there and then to intervene to support and protect the young woman. We, as a State, need to be strong on law. If found guilty, people need to be punished and when people perform acts of bravery, that needs to be acknowledged. This House, the Cathaoirleach and the Ceann Comhairle have an opportunity to award national bravery awards to people who put their own lives at risk to protect others. At the moment, considering how people feel about domestic abuse and violence against women, I cannot think of a better example to show the country than two young boys of 16 years and they need to be acknowledged by the State. I have a two-year-old boy and if you were the parents of these boys, you would obviously be worried about the decision they made but would you not have a great sense of pride that you had raised children who made a split decision to protect a vulnerable young girl? We, as a State, and even the President, but certainly the Cathaoirleach and the Ceann Comhairle, have an opportunity to ensure that if people do good deeds and make quick decisions to protect people, the State recognises it. It shows the importance of educating people on how you speak to people and to women, in particular, and how you treat them. It is getting through. These boys knew that what was happening was wrong and they intervened straight away. The more we can do to acknowledge that, the more that these things can be prevented.