As the Deputy will be aware, the recommendation of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland on this issue was accepted in principle at the time of publication, subject to further evaluation of the implications, including resource implications, how best it might be achieved and the timing of implementation. A high-level review group, HLRG, on the role of An Garda Síochána in the public prosecution system was established in September 2020 to conduct this evaluation and recommend a preferred option for cons…

I acknowledge the independence of the Office of the DPP and the great work carried out by it in conjunction with An Garda. It is important, however, to ensure that we update our legislation, the office and how it operates. The group is engaging with academics and relevant experts and examining other jurisdictions, as the Deputy has mentioned. It has considered the experience of common law jurisdictions and those which operate under the general jurisprudence of European victims' rights law or its equivalent; jurisdi…

The DPP is independent of my office and has the power to issue directions in all cases to An Garda, and An Garda must comply. Where the Garda does not comply and where concerns are raised, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, has a role. Individuals with specific concerns can go to it and gardaí can raise concerns themselves. The review covers several areas, and I do not want to pre-empt what will come of it. Obviously, we will share it with the Deputy and others when completed.

I will give a very short reply. The policing, security and community safety Bill contains proposals for the improvement of GSOC. These are to expand the remit of the body to include Garda staff and allegations that come to light other than by way of a complaint from a member of the public and provide that all complaints, other than minor service-level-type complaints, will be investigated by the body itself. The Bill will streamline investigation procedures to support timely, transparent and effective resolution of…

I thank the Senator for raising this issue, and particularly for doing so on this day. I express my and this Government’s condolences to the families whose loved ones were killed or injured in the terrible events of 17 May 1974. Those callous acts will always be remembered as the single deadliest day of the Troubles, where 33 people lost their lives, as the Senator mentioned. Many others were injured and had their lives changed forever. It is, frankly, hard to believe on a day like this, when we think of everybody …

I thank the Senator for his comments. In respect of the quotation and the comment he has just made, I wish to reassure him and those family members and communities who have campaigned tirelessly on behalf of their loved ones that they will not be forgotten and that they have not been forgotten, despite the fact that almost five decades have passed. As a Government, we have consistently raised these issues with our colleagues in the North and with our British Government counterparts. We have continued to insist that…

It has been extended nine times.

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am delighted to introduce the Garda Síochána (Compensation) Bill 2021 to the House following its passage through Seanad Éireann last week, and I look forward to hearing the contributions from Deputies today. Before I discuss the Bill, I would like to mention an issue that was raised on the Second Stage debate in the Seanad in March. Some Senators in their contributions questioned why civilian staff of An Garda Síochána are not covered by the provisions of the Bil…

There are some proposals on that today.

I thank the Deputies for providing me this opportunity to update them on my plans to reform and modernise defamation law in Ireland. Copies of my statement should have been left in. I will check.

I want to ensure that our legislation addresses the challenges posed by an increasingly complex media landscape. I strongly believe the rule of law and democracy cannot truly flourish without robust protection for the right of freedom of expression though, of course, this must always be carefully balanced, as it is under our Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights, with safeguarding the individual right to good name and reputation. The question is about striking the right balance between those righ…

I move the following motions: That Dáil Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to take part in the adoption and application of the following proposed measure: Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union vis-à-vis…

Opt-in proposals generally do not, or they have not to date.

I take the point. The ask had been simply because they were technical amendments. I am open to another way we can do this in future. We have dealt with quite a few opt-ins recently and they went before both Houses.

I am happy to take that on board and I will speak to colleagues about doing so with regard to the trade and co-operation agreement or other issues. With regard to Prüm and the various categories, the co-operation applies in respect of DNA, fingerprint and vehicle registration data. The proposal to introduce co-operation in respect of facial images and police data records in respect of facial images is only with regard to suspected or convicted criminals and terrorists that can be exchanged.

There are elements that have to be worked through in terms of the data.

I will get that clarified. There is no general population use in this regard. With regard to police records, the proposal seeks to establish a procedure for the automated searching of police records but it does not propose a new exchange of data. I will get something for the Deputy on that. In terms of the Kyoto Declaration, it is adopting the declaration. It is our commitment to co-operation on tackling crime, so it is quite straightforward. The third motion is about updating records and the fact there have been c…

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am delighted to open the debate and the deliberations of the House on the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2022. The proposals I am presenting in the Bill are transformative and I believe they will provide for deep and wide-ranging reform. The reformed appointments system will be seen to clearly emphasise the principles of meritocracy and independence. It is designed to meet both our own constitutional standards and the standards set by the Court of Justice …

It is four lay members now.

Amendments Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 13 are drafting changes. They amend the upper-case first letter of "Superintendent" to lower case to align this section with the Firearms Act 1925 and the Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956. Amendment No. 3 substitutes "firearm certificate", which is the term used in section 5 of the Firearms Act 1925, for "firearms certificate". Amendment No. 6 is a change to reflect the fact that, under the Firearms Act 1925, a decision can be deemed to have been made by a superintendent. Amendment…