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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 for victims … ensure the Minister and the Government do not put in place any roadblocks. This Bill has gone through the OPLA, the Oireachtas legal team, and there is no legal reason the Bill cannot be enacted. The only reason we might not ensure the Bill would be made

having to go to such lengths. I welcome that aspect of this Bill. I welcome the extra protection for survivors in respect of counselling notes. There have been many positive suggestions in the Chamber in relation to going further to protect survivors and to ensure they have their … very worrying legislative provision. I want to see a provision that ensures this will not be an option for repeat offenders. Free legal aid also needs to be looked at for repeat offenders. First, free legal aid is not free. It costs the taxpayer. In 2024, it cost

women. I wish this would be the last debate but we all know there is a body of work to do, from the legal barriers to the lack of resources for supports and ingrained misogyny that goes all the way down from fully-grown men to what … next strategy. All we know is we have promised legislation and also legislation not promised, such as on the issue of therapy or counselling notes, as Deputy Coppinger referenced, and a commitment to have "a review of the current strategy's implementation to inform the development

refinements and improvements to various sections of the AHR Act 2024 itself, is at an advanced stage, led by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel, in conjunction with officials from the Departments of Health, Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, and Children, Disability and Equality. Drafting work on the amending … place as regards the payments to intermediaries. Separately, it will be necessary for the surrogate mother to receive appropriate information and independent legal advice prior to entering a surrogacy agreement. Finally, there will be a residency requirement of two years in the surrogacy jurisdiction before a woman

shape how we see and treat each other, as individuals but also as a society. More broadly, we are continuing to strengthen the legal protections that protect LGBTIQ+ people from discrimination, harm and hatred. While I know progress in this area can sometimes feel slow, it is important … Reproduction) (Amendment) Bill, as colleagues will be aware, is now at an advanced stage, with drafting being led by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel alongside relevant Departments. I am informed it is expected to be introduced to the Dáil this term. Finalising the legislation, along with establishing

careful when looking at the bald statistics that make us look as though we are a complete outlier; the difference in our legal system and categorisation of people as judges can result in those numbers standing out significantly. Notwithstanding that, we certainly need more judges appointed. Deputy Carthy … approval from Government for it. At present, it is being drafted in the Attorney General's office and the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government. Those issues regarding digitalisation and freeing up garda resources from the courts will be available there. On the issue of garda

collaborative approach to the terms of reference. The argument can be made that the Minister has to devolve responsibility to a senior counsel to understand what the most appropriate forum is, but the Minister is an experienced politician. So is the Tánaiste, Deputy Harris. The Minister knew exactly … inquest, they were originally told they would probably get one. They were then told "No", and it was only because they initiated legal proceedings that they were finally granted one. It is also important to say that a HSE official told them that if they ever spoke

Finance could control each element of the system and ensure that each transaction was rubber-stamped by Revenue, regardless of whether it was legal or not". That is hard to understand. I now refer to a Revenue Commissioners' Collector General receipt, dated 21 February 2015, notice No. 0973138/001310 … attempt to use this dissolution as a way of dissolving responsibility. The people affected by NAMA and the citizens deserve closure, support, counselling and to have some modicum of their lives back. Transparency is essential but it is a very scarce item in this House with this Government

State allocated €2 million. It began in September and will allow men, in particular, who are slow to seek psychological help, to access counselling in their own homes without having to attend a centre. Closer to home, there is very good news for Roscommon and the wider west … profit from emotional manipulation must be held to account. Child safety cannot be an afterthought or a marketing slogan. It must be a legal and ethical obligation. As we approach World Mental Health Day and as we welcome historic levels of investment - €1.6 billion for mental health

shared by the Bar Council. The question is not whether gardaí need this tool but whether the new powers are necessary, proportionate and legally sound and we should be able to debate the Minister's proposal on this Stage. Let me turn to pepper sprays in prisons … proper rehabilitative outputs that could genuinely make prisoners play a constructive part in communities when they come out. I will turn to counselling records. There is no part of this Bill that exposes the moral limits of the Government more starkly than in what it does to survivors

Government had long assured us were consigned to history. First and foremost, my thoughts are with the individuals and families affected. I hope counselling and health services have been made available immediately to them. If not, the Minister of State must ensure this is done today. I also … this authority and they need to be significantly expanded to do their job. Safeguarding teams and social workers must be given a legal right of entry and permitted to investigate concerns unannounced at any time, and where management and corporate leadership make decisions that lead to poor-quality

died so sadly in 2014. Carmel reminded me that Christine said about her appalling experience of abuse that survivors needed a year's counselling for every day they spent in those hellholes. I had the privilege of representing survivors of abuse before the Residential Institutions Redress Board … religious orders to ensure victims receive the justice they deserve. We have seen a slow pace of action, avoidance of responsibility and legal obfuscation for far too long. We owe an enormous debt of appreciation and gratitude to all those brave survivors and victims who have shown such

civil law and criminal law (miscellaneous provisions) Bill's general scheme. I hope to introduce that Bill, including the provision in respect of counselling notes, in the Houses of the Oireachtas later this year. I also received permission from the Government to put into that legislation proposals … Offences and Human Trafficking) Act 2024 ensures anonymity for victims in all trials for sexual offences, extends the victim’s right to separate legal representation if they are being questioned about their previous sexual history and ensures character evidence at a sentencing hearing for a person convicted

could have the expertise to facilitate them in getting barring orders. As I said before, it is my intention to improve the civil legal aid scheme and I hope to be able to publish the reports I have received in respect of it recently. I will also look … offence. I would have thought, however, that most of those offences would be prosecuted on indictment. Deputy Coppinger talked about the issue of counselling notes. It is the case, notwithstanding her views, that the advice I have received is that to prohibit access to counselling notes

approval processes; backed decision makers across the public service with a clearer approach to risk; and taken steps to reduce the number of legal cases that can hold up critical projects for years. The reforms we are delivering at pace are moving us quickly in the right direction … mental health, delivering: increased resourcing for early intervention, crisis supports and new ADHD pathways in CAMHS; 33,000 extra hours of free counselling for men, young people and the LGBTQI+ community; and investment in targeted suicide prevention initiatives to support the Traveller community. The NDP will fund