The Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence, Mr Alan Shatter, T.D. today
welcomed the decision by the Government to seek the approval of both Houses
of the Oireachtas to opt in to the EU proposal for a Regulation on Mutual
Recognition of Protective Measures (COM(2011)276), published by the
European Commission on 18 May, 2011.
The purpose of the proposed Regulation is to ensure that where a person is
at risk in a member state and is given legal protection by the courts in
that member state, the protective measure is recognised when the person
travels to another member state. Such protective measures include, in
particular, the types of protection afforded in Ireland to victims of
domestic violence who obtain either a safety or barring order.
Announcing the decision Minister Shatter said "I am delighted the
Government has approved my proposal to formally bring a motion before the
Oireachtas on this issue. The Regulation will ensure that people at risk of
domestic violence can be confident that they continue to be legally
protected from their aggressors when abroad in other EU states for work or
for holidays. Opting in at this early stage will allow Ireland to strongly
influence the final shape of the Regulation in negotiations and ensure that
we are at the forefront in tackling domestic violence."
Opting in means that Irish citizens and residents who have been subjected
to or at serious risk of domestic violence can benefit from continued legal
protection if they travel to another member state. Likewise, people
travelling here from another member state can be confident that the Gardaí
are empowered to act on foot of protective measures obtained in other
member states.