Kilkenny Senators bring new legislation to strengthen protections for domestic violence survivors
The Senators both highlighted the scale of the crisis in the Seanad
Senators Patricia Stephenson (SD) and Malcolm Noonan (GP) both spoke this week in support of a bill brought forward by the Cross Party Group in the Seanad aimed at strengthening legal protections for survivors of domestic violence.
The bill, which was brought forward during the group’s Private Members’ Business time proposes to create a new indictable offence for breaches of domestic violence orders under Section 33 of the Domestic Violence Act 2018.
Addressing the Seanad, Senator Stephenson highlighted the scale of the crisis, noting: “Since 2020, 37 women have been killed in the South and 27 in the North, the vast majority in their own homes.”
“The latest tragic killing was that of Sarah Montgomery, from Donaghdee, a pregnant mother of two. I want to remember her here today, and extend my deepest sympathies to her children, family and friends.”
The proposed legislation will allow prosecutors to pursue indictable offences where breaches of court orders are serious, persistent or violent in nature, empowering the justice system to respond more effectively to patterns of coercive control.
Senator Malcolm Noonan said: “Domestic and gender based violence is unfortunately on the rise in Ireland, The majority of women who have died violently in recent years were killed by someone they knew, a partner or former partner.”
“If we are to have a zero tolerance approach to domestic and gender based violence, we must as a starting point, strengthen laws to protect women and children. That’s what this short bill is about.”
“I think that it’s important now for the Seanad to create space to allow this important legislation to go to report and final stage before summer recess. We must continue to show that we as legislators will not tolerate domestic and gender based violence and are determined to eliminate it.”