Senator Bacik asks for Debate on the Extension of Domestic Violence Legislation, and for a Debate on the Missing Persons Helpline

Order of Business

Senator Ivana Bacik: I support Senator O'Toole's call for a debate on regular opinion polls and their potential to have a distorting effect on the political process. Senator Norris described them as the political equivalent of pole dancing. I found the antics of the Green Party akin to political lap dancing, given that it is a lap-dog of Fianna Fáil in government.

An Cathaoirleach: The Senator should put a question to the Leader.

Senator Niall Ó Brolcháin: Are we lap-dogs or lap dancers?

Senator Ivana Bacik: I will leave that to the Senator to decide.

I ask for a debate on extending the protection of the domestic violence legislation to cover a broader range of victims of domestic violence. This morning, with other Senators, I attended the launch of the Women's Aid annual statistics for 2009. Some of the issues the organisation highlights are the increased incidence of the use of technology in abuse, including stalking and harassment by mobile phone, the Internet and so forth, and the serious issue of domestic abuse during pregnancy. When women are pregnant, they are more likely to be abused in some relationships. Women's Aid is doing important work and I welcome the debate the House had on domestic violence which was kindly facilitated by the Leader. We should advance the debate to discuss how we can better strengthen our legislation to ensure categories of victims not currently protected can achieve protection under our laws and adequate resourcing is provided for the Women's Aid helpline.

I support the request made by Senator Ó Murchú yesterday for a debate on a missing persons helpline. Senator Ó Murchú had been contacted by the same person who has been in contact with a number of us whose sister very sadly had gone missing many years before and who is selflessly campaigning for a national missing persons helpline. It is a matter of urgency. It is simply not good enough to say that we cannot afford it when it is being rolled out in other European countries. We need that debate in this House as a matter of urgency.