Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill 2026: Committee Stage
Seanad Éireann — 2026-05-14
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Jim O'Callaghan (FF), Dublin Bay South

I do not want to intrude into the rulings or deliberations of this House. However, I have been informed by Senators Gallagher and Ahearn that it is proposed that the House adjourn. If I may, I will make two points in respect of that. First, I came here today prepared to deal with 54 amendments to the Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill. This is extremely urgent legislation. It is urgent not because I am saying it is but because this Bill responds to what are referred to as the Quirke decision and the Corcoran decision of the Supreme Court. Mr. Justice Hogan and Mr. Justice Collins, in the Supreme Court, both said that the situation in respect of search warrants and how they interact with journalistic privilege is a matter that requires urgent legislation attention. That is why, since I have been in this role, I have been trying to expedite this legislation. Unfortunately, as a result of the House adjourning, those very important amendments and, indeed, the legislation itself will be delayed. As I said, that is a matter for the House. As a Minister who always comes respectfully to this House, I am annoyed that we cannot get on with the work here.
Second, a lot of comment was made earlier on. By the way, I have no difficulty with Senators kicking me around the Seanad. As a Minister, I deserve to be properly harangued by Senators when they feel it is appropriate. However, I am concerned that comments were made about officials in the Department of justice, which, I have been informed, were incorrect. In particular, it was suggested that amendments Nos. 24, 26 and 28 were ruled out of order because of communications from the Department of justice to the Cathaoirleach's office. I have been informed and instructed by officials in my Department that that never happened. There was communication in respect of amendments Nos. 1 and 51. There was no communication in respect of the other three amendments.
In fact, as far as I am aware, those amendments were ruled out by the House. I do not want to get involved in a domestic dispute here but it is unsatisfactory from my point of view. While people are entitled to have a go at me, it was unfair to officials to say that they sinisterly went behind people's backs here and got the Cathaoirleach to rule out the three amendments which deal with ethnicity and nationality. It is not true.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-05-14/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:57+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-14