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• From: Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration
• Published on: 17 August 2026
• Last updated on: 17 August 2026

Yesterday we saw outrageously dangerous criminal behaviour by five teenagers that resulted in them losing their own lives, and caused serious injuries to four innocent people who were lawfully driving on the M9.

I want to wish the injured family members a full and speedy recovery.

I want to condemn in the strongest possible terms that reckless criminal behaviour. Those who deliberately drive vehicles the wrong way down a motorway are engaged in behaviour that is lethal and is a serious threat to other road users.

I want to thank members of An Garda Siochana and the emergency services who attended the scene to respond.

Today I again spoke with the Garda Commissioner and assured him that he will receive whatever resources the Gardaí need to confront this threat to public safety. The Gardaí were prepared to respond to the M9 incident using stinger equipment and other capabilities.

The Commissioner confirmed that he is introducing Garda pursuit training this year. This is the first time Gardaí will receive this specialist training. However, no matter what laws, training or equipment are available it will always be the case that a Garda must use his or her discretion to decide whether to pursue a car driving the wrong way on a motorway.

I have engaged with my colleagues Minister Darragh O’Brien and Minister Sean Canney today on this issue. We must consider the introduction of a separate offence in respect of individuals who make a deliberate decision to drive their vehicles the wrong way on a motorway. This is using a vehicle as a weapon. It is a lethal form of behaviour that can result in deaths and serious injuries as we witnessed on the M9.

I also want to strengthen the protection available to members of An Garda Siochana when they are pursuing vehicles that will not stop in the course of their duty.

Events such as this emphasise that social media companies have a responsibility to enforce their own code of conduct which prohibits content that glorifies criminal behaviour.

Today, I convened an extraordinary meeting of EU Home Affairs Ministers to discuss how best to stand in solidarity with Spain and protect our external borders from illegal migration. The EU is united with Spain in this challenge and commends the swift action taken.

• • Jennie’s Law will allow those convicted of domestic violence against a partner or former partner to be included on a public register of judgments
• • Disclosure of counselling notes will now be restricted to the maximum extent possible, while ensuring independent judicial oversight in all cases
• • The exploitative practice of seeking sex in lieu of rent is being criminalised
• • Valerie’s Law will remove, in certain circumstances, guardianship rights from individuals convicted of killing their partner or the other parent of their child

• Jennie’s Law will allow those convicted of domestic violence against a partner or former partner to be included on a public register of judgments

• Disclosure of counselling notes will now be restricted to the maximum extent possible, while ensuring independent judicial oversight in all cases

• The exploitative practice of seeking sex in lieu of rent is being criminalised

• Valerie’s Law will remove, in certain circumstances, guardianship rights from individuals convicted of killing their partner or the other parent of their child

15 July 2026

The Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan, has secured completion in the Dáil and Seanad of significant reforming legislation that will strengthen protections for women and children as part of the government’s efforts to combat domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

The new legislation includes Jennie’s Law which provides for a public register of judgments for those convicted of domestic violence; Valerie’s Law which provides for the removal or restriction of guardianship rights from a parent convicted of killing the other parent of their child; the criminalisation of the exploitative practice of seeking ‘sex for rent’ and presumed non-disclosure of counselling notes in criminal trials.

The new laws will now go forward to President Connolly to be signed.

Minister O’Callaghan said:

“Recent tragic events have once again brought the reprehensible scourge of violence against women sharply into public focus. I want to provide an assurance particularly to women and children that I am steadfast in my determination as Minister to confront domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in all its forms and the new laws passed this evening stand as a testament to that.

“I believe the laws will have a positive impact in helping to prevent these unacceptable crimes and in making those responsible publicly accountable for their actions while supporting victims and survivors and their families.”

The Domestic Violence Judgments Register Act 2026 to be known as Jennie’s Law, will provide for a publicly accessible register of judgments on those convicted of domestic violence against a former or current partner.

This will mean convictions for serious domestic violence offences will be publicised as part of the conviction process, ensuring that there is nowhere to hide for violent offenders who abuse their partners.

Minister O’Callaghan said,

“It will be known as Jennie’s Law, in memory of Jennifer Poole, who was murdered by her ex-partner in 2021. The Poole family, and particularly Jennie’s brother Jason, deserve enormous credit for their advocacy on this issue.

“This legislation will help people who are in a relationship or considering a relationship with a person to ascertain whether they have a history of serious domestic violence convictions.

“The register is one part of the government’s broader, comprehensive strategy to protect victims of domestic violence and reduce reoffending.”

Minister O’Callaghan also secured passage of amendments that will restrict disclosure of counselling notes in criminal trials to the maximum extent possible, while ensuring judges have independent oversight in all cases.

Minister O’Callaghan explained,

“Strong protections must apply to the handling of victims’ counselling notes in criminal trials. I have ensured the default position will be that counselling notes will not be disclosed, save for the cases where disclosure is ordered by a judge and warranted in the interest of justice and a fair trial. This creates a form of statutory privilege whereby counselling notes are not disclosable unless there is a risk of an unfair trial.

“The same protection regime is applied to other victims’ records containing sensitive personal data, such as medical records, child protection records and other such documents.

“I am aware that the disclosure of counselling notes can cause deep distress to victims and survivors of sexual violence. The government is committed to minimising intrusion into victims privacy to the greatest extent possible. However, this must be done within the Constitution, which guarantees the right to a fair trial and the presumption of innocence. A complete ban on counselling notes would be unconstitutional as advised by the Attorney General. To do so would risk convictions or lead to mistrials. I want to thank those survivors and organisations working in the sector for their constructive engagement on this amendment.”

The same Bill – the Criminal Law, Civil Law and Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 – also sees significant provisions introduced to combat sexual abuse and exploitation. Two specific criminal offences will be introduced around ‘sex for rent’: offering accommodation in exchange for sexual activity, and the advertising of accommodation in exchange for sexual activity.

Separately, the Guardianship of Infants and Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2026, to be known as Valerie’s Law in memory of Valerie French who was murdered by her husband, will provide for the removal of guardianship rights from people convicted of killing their partner or the other parent of their child. This ensures that those convicted of the most serious crimes do not retain automatic legal rights over the children left behind.

The law will be known as Valerie’s Law, following the advocacy of David French who has campaigned tirelessly for a change to the law in memory of his sister Valerie who was murdered by her husband, seven years ago.

Minister O’Callaghan added,

“I strongly believe guardianship when one parent kills another should not be regarded as a matter of private law to be determined between the families concerned – it must be regarded as a child protection and welfare issue.

“This legislative change is about putting the best interests of the child at the centre of the court’s decision. It will protect vulnerable children from further trauma, provide clarity for surviving family members and prevent perpetrators from maintaining control over their children’s lives. I would like to particularly commend David French for his advocacy on this important matter.”

Minister O’Callaghan added that the legislative reform focused on combatting violence against women would continue. The Minister is keenly aware of the harmful effect that extreme or violent pornography is having, particularly on young people, while distorting healthy sexual development and contributing to misogynistic attitudes.

In addition to normalising violence against women and girls, who form the vast majority of victims depicted, and contributing to a culture in which young men are led to believe that girls enjoy and expect violent sex, participants in violent or extreme pornography are often victims of human trafficking, prostitution and child sexual abuse.

“Considering the gap that exists in the legislation and the harm being done through the dissemination of this material, earlier this week I brought forward proposals to criminalise the possession, production or distribution of extreme or violent pornography, and secured Government approval to commence drafting this legislation.”

ENDS…///

Notes for editors

The Domestic Violence Judgments Register Act – Jennie’s Law

The new legislation inserts a Part 3A into the Domestic Violence Act 2018 and applies to convictions on indictment for serious domestic violence offences. It provides a mechanism through which relevant judgments may be published to supplement the existing means of publicity, such as through media attendance and reporting on proceedings. It does not constitute an additional form of punishment.

The trial judge will have discretion to publish a judgment in an appropriate case, which will contain details of conviction and sentence, as well as any other information relevant to the offence that the judge deems appropriate. Judgments will be published online by the Courts Service, under a specific heading of “Domestic Violence Register Judgments”.

The information will be presented in a way that is linked insofar as possible with domestic violence services, to ensure that anyone consulting the register will be directed towards appropriate supports, whether for themselves or for another person that they are concerned about.

Offenders can apply no earlier than three years after conviction for removal from the register. Any removal will be at the discretion of a court.

The register will be implemented in a broader context of preventative and protective measures, such as Operation Devise. Through Operation Devise, An Garda Síochána provides appropriate support to the potentially vulnerable new partner of individuals who have previously been connected with a domestic homicide and/or serious offences related to domestic violence, and closely monitors any evidence of further domestic violence offending against them, aiming to mitigate the risks as much as possible.

Counselling notes – amendments

The law in this area was substantially reformed in 2017 by the insertion of section 19A of the Criminal Evidence Act 1992.This was enacted to strike a balance between conflicting rights, by creating a new process whereby a victim can consent or object to the disclosure of their counselling notes, via a disclosure hearing at which s/he is legally represented.

However, it appears that in practice this provision has not operated as intended. Accordingly, section 13 of the Criminal Law, Civil Law and Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 provides for the amendment of the existing legislation by requiring that a disclosure hearing take place in all cases, removing the provision that allows for this to be waived.

This ensures that the original intention of the legislation will apply, mandating courts to assess the relevance of any counselling records through a judicial process which takes into account the right of the victim to privacy and the risk of re-traumatisation, while ensuring the constitutional right of an accused person to a fair trial, including access to any material of evidentiary value, is upheld.

Section 13 of the 2025 Bill also strengthens section 19A in a number of ways, by:

• Expanding the scope of section 19A to encompass other categories of records in addition to counselling records, namely medical, child protection and social work records (“applicable records”, for which there is a reasonable expectation of privacy);
• Removing the obligation of the prosecution to notify the defence of the existence of any counselling records (or any applicable records);
• Providing for a “filtering” stage in respect of applications for disclosure, whereby the court assesses the written application such that only applications establishing that the record is likely to be relevant to an issue at trial progress to an oral disclosure hearing;
• Providing that the court may order the production of records to the prosecution in advance of an oral disclosure hearing;
• Crucially, providing that the default position is that these records are not to be disclosed (presumption of non-disclosure) , except where the Court is satisfied, after examining the record, that it is likely to be relevant to an issue at trial and there would be a real risk of an unfair trial in the absence of such disclosure and/or it is otherwise in the interests of justice to so order.

Provisions to criminalise ‘sex for rent’

The Criminal Law, Civil Law and Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 introduces two specific criminal offences around ‘sex for rent’: offering accommodation in exchange for sexual activity and the advertising of accommodation in exchange for sexual activity.

The provisions encompass both rental agreements between landlords and tenants, and “rent-a-room” situations. It is the offer or advertisement that is being criminalised – there is no requirement to prove that sexual activity actually occurred. The proposed penalty for these offences is a Class A fine of up to €5,000.

Guardianship of Infants and Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2026 – Valerie’s Law

The Guardianship of Infants and Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2026 will, where it is in the best interests of the child, allow for the removal of guardianship rights from individuals who have failed in their duty of care towards their child by killing the other parent or guardian of their child.

The legislation will require the Child and Family Agency to bring an application as soon as practicable after a conviction – and within six months – seeking a court order which may remove or restrict a convicted guardian’s guardianship rights. The legislation will apply in cases where one guardian killed another before commencement of the legislation and cases where one guardian seriously injured another. The court’s focus at all times is on the safety, welfare, and best interests of the child.

The child’s voice will be heard in proceedings through the appointment of a Guardian ad Litem for the child.

New pornography offences

On 14 July, Minister O’Callaghan secured Government approval to commence drafting additional Heads of Bill for inclusion in the General Scheme of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences, Domestic Violence and International Instruments) Bill. These additional heads will introduce offences relating to the possession, production or distribution of extreme or violent pornography, and acts of necrophilia.

Minister O’Callaghan is proposing these new offences in the context of growing recognition across Europe that pornography is now one of the most influential, accessible, and commercially powerful forces negatively shaping sexual development and behaviour.

Introducing these new offences to combat the most extreme and harmful forms of pornography is just one part of a multifaceted response by the Government to this issue. The Department of Justice is working with Cuan to develop a more comprehensive, targeted and effective multi-agency, cross-sectoral response with a view to identifying additional potential actions with relevant stakeholders.

This builds on good progress in embedding awareness on the harmful effects of pornography, digital safety and consent into curriculum reform and on the development of a broader pornography literacy strategy.

Coimisiún na Meán is responsible online regulation, including implementation of the EU Digital Services Act and is implementing the Online Safety Code which places a requirement on service providers to demonstrate that they have the correct safety measures in place to prevent illegal or harmful content on their platforms.

We are delivering on the commitments in the Zero Tolerance Strategy to achieve a society where sexual violence and the toxic attitudes that fuel it, are not accepted.

The callous and cowardly murder of Veronica Guerin revulsed and shocked the country 30 years ago today. It was a heinous act.

It was also extremely consequential, as both Veronica’s work and ultimately her murder, led to significant legislative and policing reform.

It motivated a much more aggressive approach by the State in how we confronted organised crime.  This resulted in the establishment of the Criminal Assets Bureau under the Criminal Assets Bureau Act 1996 in addition to the enactment of the Proceeds of Crime Act 1996.

An Garda Siochana were also given new surveillance powers and the use of the non-jury Special Criminal Court was expanded to cover gangland crime trials.

The Criminal Assets Bureau’s remit, which continues today, is to target a person’s assets, wherever situated, which derive, or are suspected to derive, directly or indirectly, from criminal activity.

For the past 30 years criminal gangs and their revenue streams have been relentlessly pursued and dismantled by CAB.  Over those thirty years, CAB has returned more than €220 million to the State and deprived criminal organisations of significant sources of revenue.

Veronica’s legacy can still be seen in how Gardaí confront organised crime today. They are relentlessly pursuing criminal networks, here and across continents, with the same vigour as Veronica pursued the truth in her work.

This is leading to a reduction in major crimes and significant prosecutions. The recent sentencing of Sean McGovern and the continued dismantling of the Kinahan organised crime group stand as a testament to that.

So too is the fact that in the last 18 months, there has been no gun-related killings in Ireland.

Veronica Guerin’s sacrifice and legacy will never be forgotten by the State.

Domestic Violence (Judgments) Register Bill 2026 to be known as Jennie’s law in honour of murdered Jennifer Poole

Abusers convicted of serious domestic violence will have their names included on a publicly available register for the first time, under a new law designed to allow those with concerns to check whether their partner has a violent past.

Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan will bring a Bill creating a new domestic violence register to Cabinet this week. The proposed legislation will be known as Jennie’s Law, and the Government plans to have the landmark law enacted before the Dáil summer recess.

The Domestic Violence (Judgments) Register Bill 2026 will be known as Jennie’s law in honour of Jennifer Poole, a 24-year-old mother of two who was murdered by her former partner Gavin Murphy in 2021. Poole did not know that Murphy had a history of abusive behaviour, including a conviction for assaulting a former partner.

The Poole family, who have campaigned for a new domestic violence register in honour of their sister and daughter, believe that had Jennifer might still be alive had she known about Murphy’s previous convictions.

I was extremely pleased to introduce the Guardianship of Infants (Amendment) Bill 2026 to Dáil Éireann today which will remove guardianship rights from a parent or guardian who kills the other parent. The Bill will be known as Valerie’s Law in memory of Valerie French who was murdered by her husband seven years ago, yet he still retains all guardianship rights over their three children.  I welcomed Valerie’s brother David and sisters Suzette and Hilary to the Dáil today and Veronica watching online.  They campaigned tirelessly for a change to the law and today we are a step closer to this necessary and important reform.

New powers will allow for payment-freezing measures as well as new access orders to compel the disclosure of credentials.

JUSTICE MINISTER JIM O’Callaghan wants to strengthen the powers of the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) so the organisation can seize cryptocurrency assets.

The move comes after reports that CAB has been unable to realise the value of 6,000 seized bitcoins which are worth just under €370m because the access codes to digital wallets have been lost.

In the last ten years, CAB has seized and sold cryptocurrency worth almost €6.5m, according to figures from the Department of Justice. 

Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan wants to boost the powers of CAB when it comes to cryptocurrency and sought government approval to propose amendments to the Proceeds of Crime and Related Matters Bill 2025.

The changes will provide for new payment-freezing measures tailored specifically to the technological and operational characteristics of crypto-assets.

Seizure of crypto-assets

This will ensure CAB can effectively seize this crypto-assets through enhanced powers of search, seizure and detention. 

New access orders to compel the disclosure of credentials necessary to obtain effective control are also contained in the amendments.

Cryptocurrency is an increasingly popular option in the criminal world for hiding wealth due to the difficulties authorities face in tracing it. 

These amendments, approved by Cabinet this week, are important to Irish law because they would insert into the Proceeds of Crime Act a distinct and internally coherent statutory regime for crypto-assets.

Sources state that in particular, they would enable the Act to address the principal ways in which crypto-assets are now held and controlled, by distinguishing between provider-administered arrangements and self-hosted or otherwise unadministered holdings. 

It would also allow for crypto-wallet freezing directions and orders, search, seizure, detention and access orders.

The legislation in its current form allows criminal assets to be seized based on a civil process without the need for a conviction.

CAB is an independent statutory body, established in 1996, which carries out investigations into the suspected proceeds of criminal conduct.

• Early intervention initiative to provide immediate support for children impacted by domestic violence

• Pilot scheme to launch building on experience of schools in Northern Ireland

19 March 2026

The Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan, has convened a cross-border meeting in advance of legislation he is introducing to allow for the introduction of Operation Encompass. 

Operation Encompass will provide for information sharing between An Garda Síochána and school authorities to strengthen protections for children impacted by violence in the home.

Operation Encompasshas been successfully operating in schools across Northern Ireland since 2021. Minister O’Callaghan is now legislating to introduce the initiative in this jurisdiction.

Operation Encompass involves a notification process whereby An Garda Síochána will inform a child’s school within 24 hours of attending a domestic violence incident at the child’s home. This is to ensure that designated school staff are aware that a child has experienced a violent and traumatic incident and can therefore provide the child with additional care and support during the school day. 

In Drogheda today members from An Garda Síochána, the PSNI, school principals, education partners and government officials North and South came together to exchange information and lessons learned from rolling out Operation Encompass across Northern Ireland.

Operation Encompass was first introduced in the North in 2021 as a pilot involving 60 schools in Downpatrick. It has since been extended to all 1,162 schools in Northern Ireland.  In the most recent reporting year, approximately 60,000 incidents were notified through the programme.

Minister O’Callaghan said,

“A central feature of the government’s approach to confronting domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence is the recognition of children as victims and survivors of domestic violence in their own right.

“I recently met with Minister Naomi Long and we discussed the benefits and impact that Operation Encompass is having in Northern Ireland.  Today’s event is about learning from those at the frontline of this initiative in the North.

“Children who experience domestic abuse, including violence in the home, can be profoundly affected and require timely, appropriate, and child centred responses that recognise their specific needs and circumstances.

“Operation Encompass is a safeguarding measure that supports the wellbeing of children by providing immediate care and support in the school environment to help reduce the impact of trauma.”

Minister O’Callaghan added,

“Work is underway to introduce a pilot in Drogheda which will mirror the initial pilot in Downpatrick. North-South cooperation on this initiative is supported through the Shared Island Initiative at the Department of the Taoiseach. This will be followed by a national rollout to all schools when the necessary legislation has been enacted.

“Today’s event is an important step in North-South collaboration, and I want to thank all those involved for their work and dedication in helping to develop this important initiative.  This work will provide an island-wide mechanism for supporting children’s wellbeing as part of our shared commitment to confronting domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.”

Among the attendees today were Dr Stephanie O’Keefe, CEO of Cuan, and Grainne Berrill, Director of the National Office for Community Safety.

Dr O’Keeffe noted,

“We know that teachers are often on the frontline supporting children affected by domestic violence, and that they need the right information at the right time to ensure children get the care they need. Operation Encompass aligns with existing safeguarding frameworks within the Irish education system, including statutory child protection obligations and the strong emphasis on pastoral care within schools.

“Cuan is supporting the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to deliver on the important commitment in Zero Tolerance; the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence to develop an operational framework to introduce Operation Encompass in the Irish system. Today’s event is a key opportunity to learn from our counterparts in Northern Ireland who have successfully rolled out the initiative to all schools and are generously sharing their experiences with us.”

Speaking at the meeting, Ms Berrill said,

“Operation Encompass is an excellent example of a community based, collaborative approach to harm prevention in relation to issues of community safety. Drogheda’s population size provides the right scale and mix of schools suitable to test the model in practice.

“The model was originally named as an action in the Drogheda Report Implementation Plan, a whole of government plan to improve community safety and wellbeing in the town led by the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration. The Louth Local Community Safety Partnership now has a role in supporting the delivery of such outstanding actions.

“The identification of Drogheda as the pilot site for Operation Encompass not only delivers on that action but also allows the collaborative relationships that were built in the delivery of that Plan to be leveraged in the rollout of the pilot in the area.”

The General Scheme of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences, Domestic Violence and International Instruments) Bill 2025 includes the enabling provisions that would allow Gardai inform a designated person in a school that a domestic violence incident has occurred in a pupil’s home. Minister O’Callaghan secured government approval on 21 October 2025.

Pre-legislative scrutiny of the General Scheme took place on 20 January 2026.

Ends

Minister Jim O’Callaghan launches innovative new child maintenance calculator

26 February 2026

The Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan has today (Thursday 26 February) launched an innovative new online child maintenance calculator to help parents in coming to arrangements on child maintenance payments.

The calculator can be accessed online from today at www.childmaintenancecalculator.ie

The launch of the calculator follows on from the publication last month by Minister O’Callaghan of Ireland’s first set of Child Maintenance Guidelines. The calculator is intended to help make the guidelines more accessible for parents.

Development of the guidelines was a key recommendation of the 2024 Review of the Enforcement of Child Maintenance Orders.

Minister O’Callaghan said:

“I am working to progress significant family justice reforms.

The launch of this innovative new calculator today, along with the recent publication of child maintenance guidelines, are central to improving fairness, consistency and transparency when parents are making child maintenance arrangements.

“I am confident the guidelines and the calculator will be helpful tools for parents who choose, and for whom it is possible, to make private arrangements for child maintenance between themselves, rather than through the court system.

“They will assist parents in determining fair child maintenance payments, reducing conflict by making the calculation of child maintenance more objective.

The calculator is available online at www.childmaintenancecalculator.ie and takes four simple steps to obtain an estimated child maintenance amount. I would encourage parents to consult the guidelines and calculator when coming to arrangements on child maintenance.”

The Review of the Enforcement of Child Maintenance Orders, published in January 2024, was one of the actions contained in the “Supporting Children” goal of the Family Justice Strategy 2022-2025.