Minister for Justice to bring 'Jennie's Law' to Cabinet

A new law, dubbed 'Jennie's Law,' is set to be brought before the Irish Cabinet this week, marking a significant step in addressing domestic violence. Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan will introduce the Domestic Violence (Judgements) Register Bill, which proposes a public register for individuals convicted of domestic violence against a partner or former partner.

The legislation is named in honor of Jennifer Poole, who was tragically murdered by her ex-partner Gavin Murphy in 2021. Poole was unaware of Murphy's history of abusive behavior and a previous conviction for assaulting a former partner. Her brother, Jason Poole, has been a vocal advocate for such a register.

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If a person is convicted of a serious criminal offence before the courts, that is a public conviction and the public are entitled to know about that conviction.

The proposed register will be accessible on the Courts Service website. Crucially, victims or survivors must provide consent before a convicted person's details are published. Judgments will be listed under a specific heading, "Domestic Violence Register Judgments," and will apply to convictions on indictment for serious domestic violence offenses. Trial judges will have the discretion to publish judgments in relevant cases, including details of the conviction, sentence, and other pertinent information.

Minister O'Callaghan emphasized the public's right to know about serious criminal convictions. "If a person is convicted of a serious criminal offence before the courts, that is a public conviction and the public are entitled to know about that conviction," he stated. The register aims to empower individuals in or considering relationships to verify a partner's history of serious domestic violence convictions. The initiative is part of broader efforts, including Operation Devise, which supports potentially vulnerable new partners of individuals with a history of domestic violence or related serious offenses.

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