Amendment No. 5 will insert a new Part 7 into this Bill to make a number of amendments to the Immigration Act 1999. First, it inserts a new section 43 into the Bill. This is a technical amendment to provide a definition of the Act of 1999 for the purposes of this new Part. This also inserts a new section 44 to amend procedures for voluntary return under section 3 of the 1999 Act. Section 3(4) of the Immigration Act 1999 currently requires that a person to whom a deportation order is about to be made be given the op…

This amendment is intended to address an issue identified in the 2022 High Court case X v. Y affecting the judicial complaints process under the Judicial Council Act 2019. The High Court stated that there is nothing in section 40 of the Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004 that varies or removes a traditional rule as regards obtaining the prior leave of the courts when it comes to the disclosure to third parties of documents, information or evidence that are generated in or garnered or gleaned from in camera proceed…

Amendment No. 9 inserts a new section 26A into the Data Protection Act 2018 to provide a prohibition on disclosure of confidential information by persons engaging with the Data Protection Commission in connection with certain defined functions. The relevant functions include matters such as handling of complaints under sections 107 and 118, the carrying out of investigations under section 105 and the conducting of inquiries under sections 107 and 118. Confidential information is defined and concerns information tha…

Amendment No. 10 inserts a number of new subsections into section 3 of the Court Officers Act 1926 to provide for the circumstances in which the Master of the High Court shall cease to hold office, the circumstances in which Government may remove the Master of the High Court from office and the process to be followed. The provisions are similar to those already provided for in section 96 of the Bill on county registrars and those already on the Statute Book in legal cost adjudicators. Amendment No. 14 is a conseque…

Amendment No. 16 is a technical amendment proposed on the advice of the Office of the Attorney General and the Chief State Solicitor's Office to correct an inconsistency in the wording of section 32 of the 2006 Act, with sections 44 and 46 of the Bankruptcy Act 1988. Under sections 44 and 48 of the Bankruptcy Act 1988, when a person is adjudicated as bankrupt, the High Court adjudication order vests their property in the official signee in the bankruptcy. The court then issues a certificate of vesting, which is reg…

I move: That Dáil Éireann, having regard to 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, and noting that a copy of the following proposed measure was laid before Dáil Éireann on 6th January, 2022: Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Directive 2003/8/EC, Council Framework Decisions 2002/465/…

On Deputy Daly's question about the courts, the report of the judicial planning working group was published in February this year. It made 54 recommendations relating to five key areas. That work is ongoing. It included increasing the number of judges by 24 initially and a further 20 upon review. That review is being carried out in respect of delivery and reform of the Courts Service. With regard to the numbers that are often cited from civil jurisdiction-type countries on the Continent, many judges on the Continen…

I move: 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 accept the following measure: Regulation (EU) 2022/850 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2022 on a computerised system for the cross-border electronic exchange of data in the ar…

I move: That Dáil Éireann, having regard to 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, and noting that a copy of the following proposed measure was laid before Dáil Éireann on 6 January 2022: Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the digitalisation of judicial cooperation and access to justice in cross-…

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to discuss the progress and impact of the youth justice strategy and our youth justice interventions. Our approach to youth justice in Ireland, informed by international standards, is that children in conflict with the law are still children. They are entitled to dignity, respect and access to services that will promote reintegration into their communities and wider society. Youth justice interventions are not about young people avoiding punishment or consequences. Th…

I thank Deputies for their contributions. As they may be aware, updates on progress in relation to the youth justice strategy are published as part of the annual implementation update. The implementation statement for 2021 is available on my Department's website and the 2022 statement is being worked on at present. I would like to speak on some additional policy objectives in the strategy. We know that young adults aged 18 to 24 are disproportionately represented in the prison population. Scientific evidence tells …

I obviously cannot comment on an individual case but I will raise the matter.

On a point of order, it is already a criminal offence to sexually abuse a child. Let us be clear on that.

The Deputy is saying it is not-----

-----because it is not in this Bill.

I thank the Deputies for their contributions, not least those who made significant contributions to campaigning for this type of legislation, including the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, when she was in opposition, and Sinn Féin Deputies. I welcome the high level of interest and support from all the speakers for this important new legislation. I am encouraged by the recognition that the Bill will make a significant difference to the lives of vulnerable children who have been groomed into criminal activity and …

I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Justice pursuant to Standing Orders 95 and 181.

I thank the Chair and Senators for the opportunity to speak on this topic. Once again, I would like to express sincere thanks to the members of the Garda Reserve for volunteering their time for the benefit of communities right across the country. They provide a quality service, support proactive policing and represent a partnership between An Garda Síochána and the many communities it serves. This deep connection to communities and a commitment to service is embedded in the culture of An Garda Síochána, and it is s…

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to bring the Criminal Justice (Engagement of Children in Criminal Activity) Bill 2023 before the House today. The Bill is an important addition to the body of law that protects children from the harmful effects of crime on their lives, their families' lives and their futures as citizens who are properly equipped to benefit fully from all that society has to offer. The Bill addresses a very specific issue, which is to recognise and make punishable in la…

I thank Deputies for their contributions on this Bill. Several important points have been raised and while I will touch on some of them now, I look forward to engaging with Deputies further on them. At its heart, this legislation does two things: it places on a formal statutory footing the right to trial within a reasonable time and it establishes a simple and accessible means of vindicating that right. The statutory right created reflects the constitutional position already in place in Ireland and ensures that ful…