I rise to strongly support the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and the Commissioner, Drew Harris, in their work, in particular at this time of challenge to the State from the far right and the far left. The first duty of any State is the safety and security of its citizens. In this regard Fine Gael has never been found wanting. It faced down decades of threats of a most brutal type from Sinn Féin and the IRA and the broader republican movement. When Sinn Féin speaks about law and order and the rule of law it brings to mi…

In the 1970s Fine Gael took vital steps to protect the integrity and security of the State, putting the interests of the country before electoral politics. Twenty years later Fine Gael, with the assistance of the Criminal Assets Bureau, took on and repelled organised gangs in Dublin. We are doing the same now with Commissioner Harris and the Minister, Deputy McEntee. Rather than make a positive and constructive contribution in the provision of solutions, we see Sinn Féin again reverting to type, putting down the in…

You were not saying that when you were over in the Department-----

As we approach the summer recess, I wish to raise with the Taoiseach an issue concerning a former distinguished Member of this House, Mr. Alan Shatter. The Taoiseach will be aware of decisions of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal that stated categorically that Mr. Shatter was wronged and grievously so and was poorly treated in the context of his demise as a Minister and a Member of this House. This issue should be redressed and resolved. The discredited Guerin report is still an official record of the House…

I thank the Chair for facilitating this urgent if short debate on a matter of some importance in the Laois-Offaly constituency. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, for attending. Some weeks ago, the House was told that 58 school building projects have been placed on hold due to some financial pressures. The project at Kolbe Special School in Portlaoise is one of them. The school is currently catering for 43 children aged between four and 18 years. All of them have severe to profound learning dis…

I thank the Minister of State for the reply and for acknowledging in the House that she is conscious of the urgency and importance of the project in Portlaoise. Since the news was received in Portlaoise, students in the school have become despondent and parents are distraught. Teachers and staff feel let down again. Therefore, I urge the Minister of State to use all her power and influence to ensure the project goes ahead.

The Deputy is making scandalous allegations against people.

The Deputy should say it outside the House.

I am sharing time with Deputies Lahart and Devlin. The decision to invade Ukraine is President Putin's war of choice. His analysis of Russian-Ukrainian relations, published last July, is in effect his war manifesto. In that document, he rejects the concept of Ukrainian independence and Ukrainian sovereignty. In that paper, he asserts his belief that the people of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine are one people and should share one geographical and political space. He talks about Ukrainians, Russians and Belarusians as b…

I am thankful for being facilitated in this short debate this evening. In the context of the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, after almost two difficult years, it is appropriate that we should focus on the issue of the Irish diaspora. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, to the House. I wish him a renewed vigour in the context of his work now, considering he probably was not engaged in the type of travel over the past two years that he might otherwise have been in his role. I wish him a successful and bu…

I thank the Minister of State for the very positive nature of his reply. I look forward to sitting down with him over the coming weeks to see how best we can fine-tune a new and enhanced scheme. I ask him to engage in discussions with his colleagues, the Minister for Justice, the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Taoiseach, who will embark on what I trust will be a very positive visit to the US on St. Patrick's Day. Tomorrow ambassador-designate Claire Cronin arrives from the US to …

That is not a point of order.

There has been a national outpouring of both shock and grief in the days since the terrible loss of Detective Garda Colm Horkan, who gave his life serving the State and protecting the community. We have come to learn of the man so beloved of his family, his community and his Garda colleagues. As Minister for Justice and Equality, I convey again my deepest condolences to Colm's father, Marty, his sister and fellow public servant, Deirdre, his brothers, Aiden, Brendan, Dermot, and Padraig, his wider family and friend…

I move: That Dáil Éireann resolves that sections 2 to 4, 6 to 12, 14 and 17 of the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 (No. 39 of 1998) shall continue in operation for the period beginning on 30th June, 2020 and ending on 29th June, 2021. The House will be aware that the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 was enacted in the wake of the murder of 29 people by the Real IRA in Omagh. Thankfully, through the efforts of the democratic people North and South of this island and, indeed, the ongoin…

I would actually do more than look at the possibility. We will have a review.

I thank the Ceann Comhairle and wish to acknowledge the importance of the debate here in this House and for the time given to it to consider these very important matters. I want to thank every one of the Deputies who made a contribution, particularly Deputies O’Callaghan, O’Gorman and Lowry who spoke in favour of the motions and indeed other Deputies who made some very important and constructive points which have informed the debate. On the provisions of the 1998 Act, the stark reality is that there remains a subst…

It will be undertaken in the year ahead.

I move: That Dáil Éireann resolves that section 8 of the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009 (No. 32 of 2009) shall continue in operation for the period beginning on 30th June, 2020 and ending on 29th June, 2021.

It is deeply regrettable that domestic abuse and sexual violence are so prevalent across society that we are discussing these issues in the Dáil. However, I very much welcome the fact that Deputies are here and that people are participating in seeking ways to combat these horrific crimes and to be briefed on the response across the justice sector, particularly during the pandemic where special measures were required. Over the past week we have seen a number of deeply distressing incidents. We cannot, of course, dis…

I am sure it is available through the usual channels.