Obviously, we do not want to prevent the police ombudsman having a consultation with the Garda Commissioner if he or she wishes to do so but, in order to preserve the office's independence, we do not feel there should be any such obligation. From my reading of it, it seems there is an obligation. That is why we will be pressing the amendment.

I move amendment No. 46: In page 192, line 4, to delete “18 months” and substitute “24 months”. The amendment speaks for itself. It extends the period to 24 months.

Given what the Minister has said about engaging further, and we will engage further with GSOC ourselves, I will withdraw the amendment.

This is an ask, I think, from the unions and it bears well regarding the engagements relating to another section related to Garda staff and perhaps also to Prison Service staff, which I flagged earlier and which may very well become an issue. I support the amendment.

As the Minister stated, organised crime is becoming increasingly transnational and this proposal aims to address that development, along with other concerns. It is useful to put on record recent developments in organised crime throughout Europe. In April, Interpol announced its largest firearms trafficking operations, which saw more than 14,000 suspects arrested across Central America and South America and an unprecedented $5.7 billion in illegal narcotics seized. In May, the organisation held its 50th European reg…

I ask the Minister to provide an update on the implementation of the promised reforms relating to antisocial behaviour outlined in the programme for Government. We are three years into the implementation of the programme. Most of the measures were sensible; some have been implemented or have come close to being implemented. Will the Minister provide an update?

The motto of the Garda is always to address not only the causes of crime but also the fear of crime. Of great concern in recent months has been the situation on O'Connell Street and serious incidents which have happened on the streets close by. One of our Dublin Deputies told me recently about a bus driver who was badly assaulted, with cuts around his face and neck, when he tried to fight off a robbery attempt. While restraining one attacker, he was set upon by another, who tried to gouge his eye out. Thankfully, h…

As I said earlier, the Garda recruitment targets are continually missed. We are faced with a potential net loss of gardaí this year despite the promises of an additional 1,000 officers. The workers and residents in the north inner city deserve better. I hear what the Minister says about the scrambler legislation she has introduced, and I understand that the Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill was moved by Government Deputies - in response, it has to be said, to an earlier Private Members' Bill by Deputy Paul Donnelly, De…

Will the Minister of State provide an update on section 67 of the Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022, including an outline of the rationale behind the inclusion of an amendment in the Bill, and will he make a statement on the matter?

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. If someone breaches confidentiality after a direction is given, he or she is liable to a class A fine. Thankfully, there is still no offence on indictment, but this still threatens an inequality of arms, as many ordinary people, or even activists who are interacting with the DPC, will not be in a position to pay such a fine. The amendment has created a great deal of concern among privacy and transparency activists. It is their view that the commission already uses its po…

As I said in a debate on legislation in recent weeks, I have sympathy for the Data Protection Commission, in that it is under-resourced and, at some stages, it seems deliberately so. I also note the Government increased funding to the Data Protection Commission long after we in Sinn Féin made provision for doing so in our alternative budget under Deputy Martin Kenny two years ago. It is very important that people who are seeking information have to be able to explain and outline the nature of the commission's decis…

Since April, any enduring power of attorney must be registered with the Decision Support Service. While people need an email, Government ID, a PPS number and statements from the donor, the doctor, the solicitor, the barrister and the attorney, and rightly so because safeguards have to be in place, some problems have begun to arise. Under section 60, the attorney, the two witnesses and the donor must all be in the presence of each other at the same time. Will this be amended because it is becoming very cumbersome in…

It has gone through.

With regard to the water quality report, the people of Kerry, with its connection to the sea and rivers, rely on water for work, food, health and well-being. That is why we have been keeping an eye on the EPA reports over recent years. Water quality can, of course, be impacted by a number of different factors. One statistic in the report that jumped out at us was concerning, namely, that there are two river water bodies in bad condition. There was in a place in County Clare and the Laune in County Kerry, where it s…

We will also be opposing this amendment. There is definitely something going on here and I would be interested in hearing the case from the Government for this amendment. A lot of concern has been expressed about it. It is already the view of many that the DPC uses its powers to direct non-disclosure far too liberally and this is only going to increase that practice. I have some sympathy for the DPC because it is working within the constraints imposed upon it by the Government. I note that some extra funding was pr…

I move: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: ": — 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, 2023 and ending on 29th June, 2024; and — calls on the Minister for Justice to bring forward legislation to give effect to the recommendations of the Independent Review Group as soon as possible.". I thank the Minister for publishing the review in…

The vote is not on that.

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: ": — 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, 2023 and ending on 29th June, 2024; and — calls on the Minister for Justice to bring forward legislation to give effect to the recommendations of the Independent Review Group as soon as possible.".

These debates on the State's participation in EU legal and institutional co-operation are always welcome, both so we can examine the proposals themselves and the context in which they operate. I wish to address the current context of the courts and their functioning before turning to the proposals at hand. The State had 3.27 judges per 100,000 people in 2020, well below the European average of 17.6 judges. The recent moves have improved this but more must be done. The judicial planning working group's report has be…

Ar dtús, I also extend my sympathies to the family of Christy Dignam and his many friends. He transcended music. He was a national treasure. I think I first saw him in Horan's Hotel on a tour in 1986. His talking may now be over but his talent and his crowd will live on. I raise the disappointment, frustration and frankly the anger felt by retained fire fighters at the Government's handling of the recruitment and retention crisis within the fire service. Last night, Sinn Féin brought a motion to resolve this crisis…