A group rallied on Friday in Limerick City to call for counselling notes of victims to be fully withdrawn from gender-based violence trials. The group urged Mr O’Donnell, who was not in his Limerick office today, to support the protest of proposed legislation allowing judicial oversight on the use of counselling notes in gender-based violence trials. Abuse survivor Caitríona Hickey told the Irish Examiner: “I am completely against the use of counselling notes in any sexual violence or gender-based violence trials. Local councillor Shane Hickey-O’Mara, who also works as a psychotherapist said: “It is devastating that people’s private and confidential counselling notes can be used in this way. In relation to the use of counselling notes in criminal trials, groups of survivors and some therapists have been calling for a complete ban.

Source: Irish Examiner January 24, 2026 00:51 UTC