Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to acknowledge the absolute power of having the three female leaders of the Government parties here. We can see that power today. It is a power to make change and change legislation. What we are talking about here is the protection of victims in terms of their experience of the courts system.

I wish to acknowledge the work done by Senators Doherty, Chambers and Pauline O’Reilly. In this Bill they have collectively brought together their legislative experience and their background in legal expertise.

I thank Senator Hoey for her honest account and for telling us her experience. Her story will support and encourage others to come forward. I represent a rural area. Again, with the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, and all of the work they she had tried to do, we need supports in rural areas such as extended hours or freephone hours available for, say, Women's Aid or local women's support groups so people can feel that they can take the very first step and come forward. I wish to acknowledge a recent experience of engaging with the Garda about a situation similar to this one and there was a lot of support. So training is important and is coming through in terms of the Garda Síochána be it through a divisional protective services unit, DPSU, or other areas. Each and every garda must be available and able to speak to somebody who walks through the doors of a station in a way that gives the victim support.

This Bill is about not re-traumatising victims. As Senators have said, it is about protecting victims so that they can have justice. I mean that their lives and what has happened to them means that they will have justice in the time ahead, and they will be able to deal with this experience. It is very important that those character references, which is unvouched testimony, is challenged and this Bill will change that. Again, it comes back to the victims' directive and how we are going to support the victims, particularly the victims of sexual and-or domestic violence.

For anyone who is listening, there is a 24-hour number, Women's Aid and An Garda Síochána. I encourage people to take the first step whether it is speaking to a stranger at the end of a phone who is there to provide support or reaching out. It is such a difficult time and experience. I thank all of the Senators for their contributions and support.