Patricia Stephenson (Social Democrats)
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I also welcome the students from Castlecomer. I also warmly welcome the Minister, Deputy Calleary, to the Chamber today. Last October, I introduced the Domestic Violence (Free Travel Scheme) Bill 2025, which was to provide for three months of free travel to people fleeing domestic violence to support them to rebuild their lives. This Bill was intended as a small measure to support survivors who have no means of escaping a violent home. Of course, it was designed as only one intervention to strengthen the overall protection of survivors in tandem with other supports. Since October, I have been working with the Minister to roll out the scheme and I am delighted that he has come here today to launch it. I thank him for this commitment to this issue. He expressed his commitment last October and he has followed through. I note that and I note his collaboration. It has been a pleasure to bring this forward collaboratively.

My Bill acknowledged that leaving is not a single act. It can take months or years and, for many women, it comes with a significant cost. Fleeing to a refuge that is far from your workplace, from your child's school, from your family and from court results in additional travel costs. This is a highly traumatic period that takes immense courage. The introduction of a non-means-tested travel supplement for people living in this nightmare situation recognises that financial burden and aims to alleviate some of that pressure.

Domestic violence is an epidemic in our society. This year alone, we have seen five women tragically killed on the island of Ireland: in the North, Amy Doherty and Ellie Flanagan; and, in the South, Scarlett Faulkner, Linda Costello and Milena Ostojic. I offer my sincere condolences to their loved ones, who now must tragically comprehend life without them. Last year, 67,000 domestic violence-related calls were made to the Garda. That amounts to an average of one call related to domestic violence every eight minutes. That is an appallingly high figure.

When I researched my Bill, I engaged with front-line organisations and I heard directly from survivors about this gap in provision. There are many other gaps for survivors. Many of them are financial. Free legal aid has a threshold of €18,000 but many women suffering from financial abuse simply do not have access to their income or bank accounts and so are unable to pay lawyers or solicitors. That is a significant barrier to justice for them. Many women find themselves travelling incredibly long distances to court hearings. That is another major financial challenge. Courts are often weaponised by abusive partners who do not turn up to hearings and who drag the process out for months or years.

There are all financial burdens that come with fleeing domestic violence. That is why this initiative, despite being small and modest, will contribute to the overall protection of survivors. I again thank the Minister for bringing this to fruition and for following through on his commitment.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for being here today. I know from previous conversations that he took this by the horns. I also thank my colleague, Senator Stephenson, for bringing this to the Minister's attention. My colleague Senator Rabbitte and I have worked closely with him, as have many of our other colleagues. There is no doubt that we have to put a number of different supports in place for those who are suffering from domestic abuse, which is an absolute scourge on our society. A cross-departmental and cross-government approach must be taken. That is why it is incredibly welcome that the Minister is playing his part in bringing something very significant to the table.

In my county of Kildare, there is a very concerning rise in domestic and gender-based violence. Over two years, there has been a staggering 30% increase. Organisations like Teach Tearmainn do an excellent job. Teach Tearmainn gives a lot of support not just to those who are in the refuge, but to those who are outside of it, with the courts and so on. However, it is struggling to keep up with the numbers. While we do have strong local services and dedicated front-line staff, their efforts are often hindered when individuals cannot physically access help. That is why travel supports are not a luxury, but an essential lifeline. Against this backdrop, the importance of travel supports cannot be overstated. Access to safe and reliable transport can be a critical barrier for those who are trying to escape domestic and gender-based violence and ensure some normality for their children in terms of going to school and so on.Many victims, particularly in rural areas, simply do not have the means to travel to refuges, court services or vital support organisations. That is why this is an absolute key step change. I thank the Minister for all the work he has put into this debate. Today is a red-letter day in terms of the supports that can be offered.

Anne Rabbitte (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Cathaoirleach for his leniency on this particular matter. I thank the Minister for being here. I thank all the Senators who throughout last October contributed to this Bill when it was brought forward. While there was a time delay amendment on it, the Minister worked furiously to ensure it was not dragged out. The Minister and his team have ensured we are here today talking about travel supports. The first step forward when a person decides to leave their home is that they have a next-step plan.

Tom Clonan (Independent)
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Hear, hear.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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There is a vote being called in the Dáil on the Order of Business. I am not too sure whether the Minister has to go.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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We will not delay them too long. I thank the Cathaoirleach's team for facilitating this. I thank Senator Stephenson, the Civil Engagement Group and Senators O'Loughlin and Rabbitte for their work on this since last October. I hope it shows that the Seanad is not all about big speeches and grandiose speeches. I thank everybody for liaising with my adviser, Craig Dwyer; with officials in my Department; and, most importantly, with groups in this area to try to get a response as quickly as possible to Senator Stephenson's Bill.

The House will be aware that tackling domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is a major priority. The programme for Government includes a number of commitments in this regard. While many of those commitments fall under the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, this is an issue that requires not just a whole-of-government approach, but a whole-of-Oireachtas approach. To this end, since October we have engaged with the Senators, but also with Cuan, Women's Aid, the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre and Safe Ireland to identify the issues faced in relation to travel and to develop solutions for domestic violence victims with travel costs. It has been agreed that a protocol, mirroring the one in place for domestic violence rent supplement, should be developed to support victims of domestic violence. Accordingly, we are introducing the domestic violence travel supplement in agreement with the representative groups.

As already agreed in the case of the domestic violence rent supplement, a person who is fleeing domestic violence will not have to satisfy a means test, nor will their employment status or participation in education be taken into account when determining their entitlement to this supplement, and neither will they be required to be in receipt of a social protection payment. These conditions, which typically apply in the case of travel supplement payments, will not apply for an initial three-month period. This will not only broaden entitlement to the payment, as requested by the Senators and the advocacy groups, but it will also significantly reduce the need for applicants to provide documentary evidence of their means and their status. We know that providing such evidence is incredibly difficult for a person who may depend on a partner or former partner, who has subjected them to violence, and does not wish to have contact with that person.

The value of the supplement paid to an individual will vary on a case-by-case basis. It is important that rather than setting a standard rate, we are flexible and we build the support around the need of the individual, taking into account, for example, the number of children they may have to support, the number of journeys they may have to make, the distances they have to travel and the modes of transport they have to use. These issues were highlighted on the evening of the debate on the Bill in October. Our community welfare officers have a great deal of experience in responding to these types of difficult situations. They will be flexible in ensuring that a person is not left without the support they need. While the payments will be administered by community welfare officers, confirmation will be required to process the claim, such as a referral from a Cuan-funded service provider, a copy of a court order or written evidence from a member of An Garda Síochána or a healthcare professional. After the first three months have passed, a person may be provided with a further three-month extension of the supplement. However, at that stage, payment will be subject to the usual means assessment alongside a review of a person's eligibility. I have asked my officials to ensure this supplement is available as soon as possible.It will be in place from 5 May. I thank Senator Stephenson and her colleagues in the Civil Engagement Group, as well as Senators O’Loughlin and Rabbitte, for their ongoing engagement over the past six months. I look forward to working further on this agenda because we have so much work to do in this space.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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We are not too sure whether there is a pairing arrangement in place for the Minister. In the height of safety, we will allow him to go to vote. Senator Stephenson is still to respond if the Minister is able to come back after the vote.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I will be back.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I ask the Deputy Leader to propose the suspension of the House for the duration of the Dáil vote.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail)
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I so propose.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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Is that agreed? Agreed.

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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We will take the next Commencement matter as we have the Minister of State, Deputy Harkin, present. It is in the name of Senator Clonan.

Patricia Stephenson (Social Democrats)
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Can I finish my last minute?

Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
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The Minister is coming back.

Patricia Stephenson (Social Democrats)
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That is fine.