Ar dtús báire, déanaim comhghairdeas leis an Leas-Chathaoirleach as a hoifig nua. Is é seo mo chéad uair sa Seanad i gcomhair díospóireachta. Is mór an onóir dom a bheith anseo mar Aire Cirt agus Dlí. Déanaim comhghairdeas freisin le gach Seanadóir atá anseo inniu. This is my first time before Seanad Éireann speaking as Minister for justice, home affairs and migration. In fact, it is my first time speaking before Seanad Éireann. First, I congratulate the Leas-Chathaoirleach on her election. I commiserate with Senat…

I greatly respect this House and I recognise that we probably get a higher level of deliberation and reflection on legislation here. That has been seen before on many Bills that have come before the Seanad. I will listen and take into account everything that is said by Senators. I respect the mandate they have and the constitutional position of this House. If Members feel that I am not complying with that commitment or deviating in some way from it, I know and hope they will tell me so. The reason I am here is that…

I thank Senators for their kind reception and illuminating comments. I agree with Senator Clifford-Lee. This proposal is an easier task that I have here at the outset of my career appearing before the Seanad. I must say, however, that it could be a consequential one. If we find ourselves in a situation a number of years from now whereby an agreement is in place for a youth scheme between the EU and the UK, it would be an important development for the EU and the UK. We will have played a part in that. I also agree w…

I raised that issue in the Department shortly after I was appointed. I am aware that the review has been ongoing. It is not yet completed but I agree with the Deputy regarding the urgency of it being published. I will go back to the Department and find out the date of publication.

I have been told by my Department that a contract has been signed in respect of Clonmel Garda station, which, as the Deputy knows, is badly needed. I am also told that it will be finished by the end of 2026, which is very good news. Obviously, we are doing our best to ensure we recruit up to 1,000 gardaí each year. The intention is that they will be spread around the country. Obviously, Clonmel in the Deputy's constituency will be very much supported by the gardaí when we get the extra resources in.

There must be a multifaceted response to knife crime. One of the responses has to be ensuring that we have greater numbers of gardaí on the streets to seize knives. Last year, over 2,100 knives were seized by An Garda Síochána. That is part of the solution. Another part has to be powers for An Garda Síochána in order that gardaí can stop and search people so that they can seize knives from them if they suspect they are carrying knives. The Deputy will be aware of the Garda powers Bill, the heads of which were publi…

I am certainly happy to meet the board and organise for that to take place. I will get back to the Deputy in respect of that. I will speak to the relevant authorities on investment in Ballymun. I am conscious it is an area which requires investment but I do not think there will be any shortage of commitment from the Government on that.

Seo é mo chéad díospóireacht mar Aire agus ar dtús ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis an Taoiseach agus a rá gur onóir an-mhór í a bheith mar Aire dlí agus cirt. Is post an-tábhachtach é a bhfuil freagrachtaí tromchúiseacha air. Déanfaidh mé mo dhícheall a chinntiú go bhfuil an pobal sábháilte agus go dtugtar tacaíocht don Gharda Síochána. This is the first time I have had an opportunity to contribute to a debate as Minister for justice, home affairs and migration. I say at the outset that it is a great ho…

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 take part in the adoption and application of the following proposed measure: Council Decision authorising the opening of negotiations for an agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom…

Thank you.

I thank the Deputies for their contributions, which I listened to carefully, and for their best wishes on this, the first day on which I am dealing with a debate in the House as Minister for Justice. I also wish Deputy Carthy well in his position as Opposition spokesperson on justice and, indeed, Deputy Kelly. I do not have all the answers in respect of justice issues and I do not think the House would expect me to. I will be very open to listening to ideas from Opposition Members and I am happy to go along with wh…

Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirleach Gníomhach.

I am aware of the tragic case of Joe Drennan. As the Minister said, I will get back to the Deputy in respect of it. Obviously, I cannot deal with issues arising from specific sentences imposed in individual cases but it is the case that in certain instances, consecutive sentences appear to be more appropriate than concurrent sentences. There is a benefit in clarifying that across the board.

I thank the Deputy. I was asked a straight question yesterday and I gave a straight answer. Before I was appointed as Minister for Justice I was asked whether parts of Dublin are unsafe at certain times and I said that they are. I am not going to change my answer simply because it is convenient to do so. I emphasise, however, that I would have thought that if people in this House were asked whether Stoneybatter was a safe place on a Sunday afternoon, they all would have said that it was a safe place. Obviously, cir…

I thank Deputy Gogarty for his question. There is a reference to this matter in the programme for Government. I am committed to trying to bring forward that scheme. As the Deputy identified, this issue was raised by Jason Poole in respect of the tragic death of his sister, Jennifer. We met him. This is of benefit to people who find themselves in relationships with individuals who have a history. It is unusual that we do not have a register of convictions in this country whereby if somebody is convicted of a violent…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill. I commend the Minister for bringing it before the Dáil. Obviously, under our Constitution the administration of justice is the preserve of the courts. Even though that is the case, we, as Members of the Oireachtas, have an extremely important role to play in putting in place the statutory architecture required in order for the administration of justice to operate effectively and efficiently. That is why I welcome the fact we are bringing the Family Courts Bill 2022 b…

I welcome the opportunity to speak in this debate. I commend the Minister on bringing forward this legislation into these sittings of the Oireachtas. It may be recalled that on 20 March this year, I introduced the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2024. It sought, in effect, to do exactly the same as the Minister is seeking to do in this legislation. Obviously, I am extremely supportive of this legislation. I welcome that the Government and the Minister made the decision to bring forward such legislation. I am …

I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Sale of Tickets (Cultural, Entertainment, Recreational and Sporting Events) Act 2021 so as to prohibit a primary ticket seller from engaging in dynamic pricing when selling, or advertising for sale, tickets or ticket packages for cultural, entertainment, recreational and sporting events, and to promote fairer access to tickets by prohibiting the sale, or advertising for sale, of tickets or ticket packages for a price that is adjusted or …

I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

I am inquiring as to the progress on the strategy that was announced in June 2022, when the Government established a zero-tolerance attitude to gender-based, sexual and domestic violence. One of the commitments was that we would double the number of refuge spaces available. Will the Minister give us an update on how that is progressing?