Irish universities introduce leave for domestic abuse victims

Four institutions launch policy to support staff experiencing violence at home with paid absence

Four Irish universities have committed to introducing paid leave in 2022 for staff struggling with domestic abuse, following a request by higher education minister Simon Harris.

In May 2021, NUI Galway (NUIG) was the first higher education institution to announce that all staff members experiencing domestic abuse or violence would be entitled to take up to 10 days of leave per year to seek assistance and support. Trinity College Dublin, University College Cork, University College Dublin and Dublin City University are the latest Irish universities to adopt this policy, according to Irish magazine The Journal.