Conor Murphy (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This speaks to the point Senator Stephenson was making on joint ownership of an account. I listened carefully to what the Minister of State said in his earlier response which touched on this area. I am not 100% certain that it contains enough protection for people. Quite often the ability to escape from coercive behaviour is very much wrapped up in financial matters relating to the home. While we have said this is a matter for the Garda Síochána to investigate, there is an argument for the involvement of the FSPO and financial services institutions generally to have a much stronger role in protecting people who find themselves in a vulnerable situation where they are locked into this.

The Minister of State said there is no option with regard to existing situations but this is where the problem arises. It is only when people have been in an arrangement together for some time and it breaks down for whatever reason that these situations arise. While I do not intend to press the amendment, there is an opportunity to look at this again. There is an opportunity for the institutions themselves and for the FSPO when they find there is cause to allow people to review joint arrangements. They have the authority and a role to be able to do this. We are now much more aware of how coercive behaviour and domestic abuse manifest over time. The ability of people to escape from them can be very much tied up in the arrangements in the home, and financial arrangements are a key part of this. I hope the Minister of State and the Government will look at this again and will have conversations with the financial authorities and the FSPO to see what more can be done to protect people in vulnerable situations.