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legal loopholes. We know from experience that religious orders and other charities will use every loophole, lacuna and ambiguity in regulation to avoid disclosure. The Government cannot make mistakes made in previous inquiries and have no place to be repeated in this new commission. Unfortunately, Ireland seems … terms of reference must clarify the debt owed to the state from religious bodies and others who failed in their duties to protect children from harm. The former Social Democrats TD Róisín Shortall called for a very significant proportion of costs to come directly from them. This must

cent of women, have experienced psychological, physical and/or sexual abuse from an intimate partner; — in 2023 Women's Aid recorded 40,048 disclosures of abuse; — Gardaí responded to over 65,000 domestic abuse incidents in 2024, of those 1,600 reports occurred over Christmas week; — the LGBTQ+ community … immediately act to: — end the practice of character references before sentencing for those convicted in cases of gender- based violence; — protect confidentiality, the right to privacy and therapeutic healthcare for victims and immediately legislate to prevent access to counselling records by the accused and their defence team; — provide

implemented in her memory. It is a tragedy that the law has come too late for Jennie, but it has the potential to protect other women at risk from dangerous intimate partners. At the moment and until this law is passed, there is no way for people … coercive control, and even if they have served a prison sentence for it. The Bill was, in part, inspired by the domestic violence disclosure scheme in England and Wales. However, there is no provision in it for An Garda Síochána to proactively disclose a violent offender's history

This is why the Social Democrats are calling for immediate measures to address this lack of transparency. We need the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to be given stronger powers and the resources to conduct a full investigation into supermarket pricing and profit margins across the supply chain … State, both Irish-owned and international companies, with an annual turnover in excess of €10 million. This should include country-specific profit disclosures and margin breakdowns. We urge the Government to monitor and publish regular reports on the impact of the transparency initiative on grocery price inflation

outset. Its findings are stark and deeply disturbing. A senior British agent was involved in killings. The British state knew, and it protected him. It allowed violence to continue in order to preserve operational advantage. Victims were not warned, families were left in the dark, lives were treated … will assert its responsibility to its own people when another state has demonstrably acted unlawfully on this island. By withholding truth and blocking disclosure, British state actors have forfeited any claim to good faith in dealing with the past. The evidential gaps in Kenova echo what

reports that last year over 41,000 disclosures were made to it about the abuse of a woman and over 5,000 disclosures related to the abuse of a child. An Garda Síochána reports that over 65,000 domestic abuse incidents occurred last year and the Courts Service … make the situation better for victims. I urge the Minister to consider the Bill brought forward by Deputy Carthy and move to introduce protection orders that can further enhance victims' safety. Protection orders are a necessity and I urge the Minister to take on board proposals from

sane person could argue in favour of that. I would like to see somebody put forward the argument that this is an appropriate disclosure. What is appropriate about disclosing counselling notes? These are the victim's notes and the trial is about the perpetrator being on trial … recall, to right this wrong. That has not happened. A lot of progress has been made. Legislation has been passed to give protection to victims. As I said, victims are predominantly women. For example, Coco's Law contains serious penalties, and rightly so, for anybody who thinks

over what people see, read and hear, it is right that we take steps to ensure diversity of voices and opinions and the protection of editorial independence. The intention behind this legislation to prevent undue concentration of media power and promote transparency is reasonable. The requirement for greater … ability of citizens to hear competing arguments, to weigh them and to make up their own minds. If decisions about what constitutes acceptable disclosures are shifted away from the public sphere and into the hands of the regulator, however well-intentioned, we risk undermining that very foundation. This

impact of artificial intelligence (AI) developments on rights holders; expresses alarm that: - the use of generative AI systems that rely massively on protected content not only reproduce work without authorisation from, or remuneration for, the rights holders affected by such use, but may also result in the provision … criticises the European Commission for withdrawing the proposed AI Liability Directive, which would have established a new civil liability regime for AI including disclosure obligations and a rebuttable presumption of causal link between such systems and harms; notes with concern that: - the implementation of the copyright-relevant obligations

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Act 2024 addressed a number of recommendations set out in the comprehensive O'Malley Review of Protections for Vulnerable Witnesses in the Investigation and Prosecution of Sexual Offences, including around anonymity and legal representation in certain contexts. It also introduced … than the regime in place for other serious crimes such as robbery or manslaughter. A number of Deputies raised the issue of the disclosure of counselling records. This is a complex and highly sensitive area, balancing individuals' rights. On the one hand, there is the victim’s right

real costs and ensure that where there are premium reductions, they are actually being passed on to the motorists. There should be profit disclosure rules to stop hidden profit shifting through re-insurance or through reverse manipulation. What would the outcome of these measures be? It would lower … system, consistent award levels and full transparency to ensure the insurance companies were passing savings back to drivers. It is time to stop protecting the industry insiders and to start delivering a fair deal for motorists, homeowners, small businesses and communities all over the country

national security and other essential interests of the State, and meeting obligations to, inter alia, investigate crime, protect life and comply with data protection obligations. The Bill does this by requiring that the questions to be answered by the witness must be approved in advance by the head … place of the chairman of the inquiry, but without factual knowledge of all the material available to the chairman through the disclosure process or the chairman’s lines of investigation. This would be to greatly alter the intended role of the nominated judge, who is to act only

Women's Aid has recorded the highest level of domestic abuse disclosures in history. The organisation's annual report is a stark reminder for us all that, for many women and children, escaping domestic abuse is made harder by failures that are within the Government's power … many women, leaving an abusive partner does not mean the abuse ends. Ensuring safety after leaving an abusive partner requires the enforcement of protection orders and ensuring a consistent approach, particularly around bail conditions when they are breached, is implemented. For example, the Government commissioned a review

best of their ability. Why is the reality so different from the Government’s press release? It is because the key protections are ignored in these laws. Basic rights are denied to the whistleblower, access to records is blocked for the whistleblower and the full financial strength … more than 50 people I have met. I call it the hidden playbook. It is delay, deflect and deny. Quarterly updates are ignored, disclosures are not investigated, records are withheld and people are targeted. When the whistleblower asks for help, the request is often sent straight back

shall not be processed under this Act.”. We have had extensive engagement with the Minister in recent weeks in the Dáil regarding the disclosure of counselling notes in trials. I appreciate that the Minister has moved somewhat on the issue but I will take the opportunity … received by a service provider in Ireland that provides online storage facilities. Is the Minister of State willing to stand over legal protection for survivors of domestic, sexual or gender-based violence that is less than what we provide for people in Ireland? The Minister of State might

They are operating in plain sight because the systems around them allow it. When survivors speak up and flee violence, when they seek protection, they face a family law system that re-traumatises them. They face judges who are not equipped to spot vital signs of abuse. They … abuse training for every legal and child welfare professional, and following through in full as promised with the establishment of the domestic violence disclosure scheme, with a victim-centred approach so that women have the right to find out that they are risk. We must go further, because

That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to provide victims of sexual violence with the right to seek civil protection orders. I am pleased to introduce the Bill. I thank those who have engaged with me on this issue and whose personal experience prompted … victims of rape and sexual assault. Among the issues which need to be addressed is the deeply traumatising impact on victims of the disclosure of counselling notes in rape and sexual assault cases. There are many other issues, though, that which make the process of securing justice difficult

harm and heightens suicide risk. That is the evidence we heard. I have not heard a single person disagree with the need to protect the right to a fair trial, but we also have a duty to victims and survivors. We must also keep that duty … used to defend the person who was the reason that person needed counselling in the first place. It is absolute lunacy. Banning the disclosure of counselling notes is about recognising that they are hearsay evidence. It is about rebalancing our justice system so that there is not only

become fodder for cross-examination. This will retraumatise and deter. The Minister points towards possible amendments in relation to the presumption of non-disclosure and the expansion of definitions but I have very serious concerns about anything short of an outright ban. One thing is clear; this legislation … every person currently avoiding counselling for fear of these notes being used and to all future victims who deserve a justice system that protects rather than persecutes them. I urge all TDs to support the necessary changes on Committee Stage to finally deliver just such a system

everything in it. That is before we ask the fundamental question of this process, which is whether it allows for full and frank disclosure to get to the truth of what happened. Of course, there should be safeguards for those giving evidence, which is essential, but whether … long? It is not prescribed enough or detailed enough. There are so many outs for those who, though they have to be protected under the Constitution, need to give evidence and give access to information, records and data. We will not get all the information these people desperately

Productivity; — a range of protections are in place for customers experiencing difficulties in paying their bills, including through the Department of Social Protection, who can provide support through the Additional Needs Payment, to help households meet expenses, including those who face difficulties with fuel bills; — a record capital … empty container, and the return rate of nearly 77 per cent shows that this is working; — under the EU accounting framework, reporting and disclosure obligations are determined primarily by the size of a company, with different requirements applying to micro-, small-, medium-sized and large undertakings, reflecting

women who are here tonight have taken the brave decision to wave their anonymity specifically to campaign for change in relation to the disclosure of counselling notes, and I commend them. Now is the time for us, as their legislators and representatives in the Dáil, to support them … have his team of lawyers working on his own Bill if that is what he wants. It is imperative that this Bill protects victims of rape and sexual assault from further trauma during the legal process to secure justice for those affected. Counselling is a place for healing

Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. Each of these bodies plays a distinct and complementary role in monitoring price practices, promoting transparency and enforcing consumer protection legislation. The CCPC, for example, has a statutory mandate to investigate anti-competitive behaviour, assess market dynamics and ensure that consumers are not misled … motion would capture a significant number of companies that are currently classified as small enterprises under EU definitions. Imposing full audit and disclosure requirements on these businesses would represent a disproportionate regulatory burden, particularly for family-owned and regionally based retailers that operate on relatively narrow margins

throughout Europe. When we want to put all those frameworks in place, we need to have the mechanisms to prosecute perpetrators and protect women and to make sure there are enough domestic violence refuge spaces. I am sure previous speakers mentioned that already. Speaking last week … Ireland in recent years. Recently discussed in this Chamber was Women's Aid. Its report from 2025 said there were 62,275 disclosures of abuse, of which 4,755 involved children. We need to make sure any woman who needs a refuge space has it. I will

interests of balancing the right to privacy, the right to healthcare and the functioning of the criminal justice system, to prohibit the disclosure of counselling records in criminal proceedings in criminal trials for sexual offences; and to provide for related matters. I welcome survivors, therapists and relatives … case-by-case basis to have their notes excluded. This needs to be made privileged. We need to adopt privilege and protection for counselling because this malevolent tactic is being used more and more since 2018. The onus is now being put on victims to give their notes