Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill 2026: Committee Stage (Resumed)
Seanad Éireann — 2026-06-10
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Lynn Ruane (IND), University of Dublin

The provision regarding interpreters can seem overly onerous. How long does that extend the interaction? When the Chamber was not meeting during Covid, I volunteered my time with homeless, addiction and health equity services concerning homeless people who needed to be isolated in certain hostels and language was obviously a big issue. Some of those systems had interpreters who were very quickly contacted over the phone and who then interpreted back and forth with that person concerning whether he or she was going to be hospitalised or transferred. Instead of seeing an interpretation service as something physical, there are other ways in which we can work in interpretation. I do not know how it would work. All I know is that I have seen it work in other areas so I saw it at first hand. When I worked in homeless services many years ago, there was nowhere one could go for interpretation so I have seen how far it had progressed in the intervening time since I was there. Even if it is not through this amendment, we should look at ways in which we integrate on-the-spot interpretation in all the different State institutions and arms of the State to ensure positive interactions and relationships and to reduce the impact of stop and search on minority or marginalised communities.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-06-10/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:02+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-10