Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge the importance of ensuring that the offence-specific category of harmful online content appropriately covers all online content that relates to the offence of assault. I understand that the intention of amendments Nos. 194a and 194b is to ensure that the use of "force" does not unintentionally exclude the non-contact application of such, for example, through online content. I am satisfied that this is not the case, as "force", which is defined in section 2 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997, includes, for example, the application of light. As I consider the effect of these amendments to be provided for in the Bill, I will not accept it.