Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht na hoibre ar fad atá déanta aige agus ag an Roinn Dlí agus Cirt, Gnóthaí Baile agus Imirce chun an Bille a thógáil ar aghaidh. Is tábhachtach an rud é dul chun cinn leanúnach a dhéanamh ó thaobh saincheisteanna oidhreachta a bhaineann leis an Tuaisceart. Ní mór dúinn ár ndícheall a dhéanamh le hathmhuintearas a chur chun cinn i gcónaí agus todhchaí dearfach, cóir agus cothrom a chruthú do mhuintir an Tuaiscirt agus na glúnta atá le teacht. The Omagh bomb, as the Minister, Deput…

I move: That Seanad Éireann: recognises: - the crucial role played by An Garda Síochána in ensuring the security of the State, protecting and serving communities across Ireland through the maintenance of law and order, and upholding the principles of justice; - the continued investment across the justice system, including in An Garda Síochána, the Courts Service, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Prison Service, and the Probation Service; - that overall funding for An Garda Síochána has increas…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Niall Collins, as teacht isteach agus cuirim fáilte roimhe. Molaim an rún seo thar ceann Sheanadóirí Fhine Gael tráthnóna inniu. Bhaineann sé leis An nGarda Síochána agus conas is féidir linn a thuilleadh tacaíochta a thabhairt do ghardaí chun an fórsa a neartú agus iad ag cosaint pobail ar fud na tíre. We recognise the crucial role played by An Garda Síochána in ensuring the security of the State, protecting and serving communities across Ireland through the maintena…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as ucht an fhreagra iontaigh fhada a thug sé dúinn tar éis a bheith ag éisteacht leis na Seanadóirí ar fad le linn na díospóireachta. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Collins, for the comprehensive response he gave to this evening's debate in which he highlighted a number of very important issues, the progress that is being made and, as was alluded to by numerous contributors during the course of the debate, what needs to be done to ensure that An Garda Síochána has the reso…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire as ucht teacht isteach agus páirt a ghlacadh sa díospóireacht anseo tráthnóna inniu. Is é an pointe is tábhachtaí gur féidir liomsa a dhéanamh anseo mar gheall ar reachtaíocht i dTithe an Oireachtais a bhaineann le foréigean teaghlaigh, gnéasach agus inscnebhunaithe ná go gcaithfidh tacaíocht d'íospartaigh a bheith i gcroílár gach a ndéanaimid. Caithfimid gach iarracht gur féidir linn a dhéanamh chun a chinntiú go bhfuil ár gcóras ceartais choiriúil níos atruachaí agus go bhfuil níos mó …

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Richmond, as teacht isteach chun éisteacht agus labhairt linn agus páirt a ghlacadh sa díospóireacht mar gheall ar ghnóthaí idirnáisiúnta inniu. I welcome the remarks of the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, and begin my contribution by referencing the ongoing situation in Gaza and Palestine. As I have done on a number of occasions, I state at the outset that there is absolutely nothing antisemitic in what I have to say, and I firmly believe in the right of all peop…

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Timmy Dooley, to the Seanad. The Minister of State has eight minutes for his contribution after which group spokespersons will have ten minutes each. I will call on the Minister of State no later than 12.53 p.m. to reply to the debate.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. Sula leanfaimid ar aghaidh, cuirfidh mé fáilte roimh ár gcuairteoirí ó Charraig Uí Leighin, Contae Chorcaí. I welcome the students from the Edmund Rice College, Carrigaline, to the Seanad. They are guests of Deputy Séamus McGrath. They are very welcome.

Before we call the Minister of State to conclude this afternoon's debate, I acknowledge the visitors from Griffeen Community College in Dublin, who are guests of the Minister of State, Deputy Emer Higgins.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit agus leis na Seanadóirí ar fad a ghlac páirt sa díospóireacht. Sin deireadh leis na ráitis maidir le tacaíochtaí breosla do thionscal na hiascaireachta. Fiafróidh mé den Treoraí Gníomhach cathain a bheartaítear le suí arís.

An aontaítear leis sin? Aontaítear.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Buttimer, atá anseo chun plé a dhéanamh ar shábháilteacht ar an mbóthar N20 idir Corcaigh agus Mala, go háirithe ag an bpríomh-chrosbhealach ag Mainistir na Móna. As he is from Cork, the Minister of State will be very familiar with the N20 national primary road between Cork and Mallow and the difficulties faced by local residents in many communities along the route in crossing the road safely. Residents of Waterloo, Whitechurch, Grenagh, Rathduff, Burnfort and Mourneabb…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. Going back to the "Drivetime" section that included reference to the issue we were discussing, there was a lady on who was living on the Burnfort side who said some mornings it can take up to ten minutes for her to take the right hand turn towards her place of work in Mallow. That results in people taking risks, so I welcome everything the Minister of State said. The crux of the issue is what is being looked for is a short-term solution prior to the delivery of the M20. Nobody i…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire, an Teachta O’Callaghan, as ucht a bheith inár measc tráthnóna inniu chun páirt a ghlacadh sa díospóireacht seo. Is tábhachtach an rud é a bheith ag smaoineamh go rialta ar an gcóras dlí agus cirt atá againn sa tír seo agus conas gur féidir linn feabhas a chur air agus é a athrú don tsochaí i gcoitinne, d’íospartaigh a d’fhulaing mar gheall ar ghníomhartha coiriúla agus, chomh maith leis sin, do chiontóirí, chun seans a thabhairt dóibh éalú ó shaol na coiriúlachta. I welcome this afterno…

As Senator McDowell stated in his contribution, we should look upon the imposition of a prison sentence as a last resort and continue, where possible, to explore alternative ways to deliver justice, including the consideration of the wider use of community-based detention.

I welcome Deputy Noel McCarthy and his visitors from Cork to the Gallery. They are very welcome and I hope they enjoy their visit to Leinster House.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire, an Teachta O'Callaghan. Gabhaim buíochas leis as ucht teacht isteach chun an Bille tábhachtach seo a phlé linn. In Ireland, as was said, we are fortunate to have what is internationally regarded to be one of the best systems of civil forfeiture, overseen and implemented by the Criminal Assets Bureau, which was established in 1996 by the then Minister for Justice, Nora Owen. The decisions to introduce the Proceeds of Crime Act and to establish the Criminal Assets Bureau came following th…

Tá an t-ádh linn go bhfuil cónaí orainn sa tír seo, atá ina poblacht agus ina tír daonlathach. Tá an t-ádh linn go bhfuil rogha againn gach cúig bliana, ar a laghad, faoin dream a theastaíonn uainn a bheith sa Rialtas ag oibriú ar ár son. Ní fíor é sin i ngach tír ar fud an domhain, áfach. Is cuid lárnach den daonlathas é an ceart chun agóide, go síochánta, agus caithfimid an ceart sin a chaomhnú. Tá sé sin feicthe againn i rith na seachtaine ach is léir gur thrasnaigh na hagóideoirí línte i gcásanna airithe. Ba ch…

Is that agreed? Agreed.

Next is the Sinn Féin group. Who is speaking?