Legislation to create a new publicly accessible domestic violence register to be known as Jennie’s Law, has been passed by the Dáil.The Domestic Violence (Judgements) Register Bill provides for those convicted of domestic violence offences to be included on a public register on the Courts Services website.Survivors will be required to consent to the convicted person being listed. The legislation is named in honour of Jennifer Poole, a 24-year-old mother of two who was murdered by her former partner Gavin Murphy in April 2021. She did not know Murphy had a history of abusive behaviour, including a conviction for assaulting a former partner.[ Will Jennie’s Law help save women?Opens in new window ]Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan said the legislation would help people in a relationship, or considering a relationship with a person, to ascertain whether they have a history of serious domestic violence.The Poole family campaigned for the register in honour of their sister and daughter, believing she might still be alive had she known about Murphy’s previous convictions.The Dáil stood in sustained applause for her siblings Jason, David and Clare, parents Jackie and Joe, and her children Neveah and Zack, who observed proceedings from the visitors’ gallery.The Minister thanked the family and commended them “for their resilience and their determination in wanting to leave a permanent memorial to their beloved Jennie”.He said “that memorial is very evident in this legislation, which will be on our statute books for very many years. I just want to commend them and thank them for their great public service in advocating for this law.”O’Callaghan wanted to “specifically highlight Jason Poole, who has been steadfast in this support for this legislation. That has been hugely important to me in trying to advance this legislation.”He paid tribute to his officials for getting the draft of the legislation “as appropriate as possible to ensure they balance all the conflicting rights”. The Minister also thanked his party colleague and Dublin Northwest TD Paul McAuliffe who introduced him to Jason Poole.The Fianna Fáil TD said it was important to remember who Jennie was, describing her as a “wonderful mother”, a “healthcare worker in our community, a very much loved member of her camogie team, and in many ways she was the very best of our community”.Sinn Féin justice spokesman Matt Carthy said people would be surprised to learn that somebody could apply to be taken off the register, three years after they have been released from prison. “In my mind, that is far too short. Five years is much more reasonable.” The Minister said, however, that they have to go to court to bring the application and have to satisfy a judge that it was appropriate they be removed. Most will remain on the register indefinitely.“I have to give consideration of the possibility of rehabilitation” even though it is not relevant in many cases, he said. O’Callaghan said he had “no doubt it will be challenged, and I have to be able to convince a court, if it is being challenged, that this legislation that weighs up conflicting interests and recognises that there is a mechanism for somebody who has reformed himself or herself to get off the register”.The legislation now goes to the President for consideration and signature, having been passed earlier by the Seanad.