Annie Hoey (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I join everyone in referencing Natasha O'Brien's bravery in coming forward. We had a conversation in this Chamber where Senators Doherty, Chambers and Pauline O'Reilly moved a Bill specifically about character references. We went through the Second Stage of that. Is this a time we need to have that conversation again? Where is that legislation and will it be moved forward? At the time, we spoke about changing a culture that puts victims on trial. Over the past few days, we first saw the bravery of Natasha, but other stories came forward about those deemed upstanding members of society despite the fact they did some of the most heinous things. They continue to serve in what I say should be upstanding institutions, and a lot of it seems to be based on the idea of character references. If you are an upstanding person, what you have done is somehow less of an offence. Some may not have only done character references for the people we know about. It may be more than one. Those victims have to sit through character references. They have to hear the individual being lauded in society. I have supported friends through this process and I cannot imagine what it is like to have to listen to people defend someone who did something, speak about their good name and then argue they deserve a lighter sentence or slap on the wrist. That individual will have to live with physical and emotional scars for the rest of their lives. They have to live with the scars on their bodies and with their experience. It might be timely to have a conversation about whether that legislation will be brought through any further Stages or if there is any update as to where it is with the Minister.