I thank Deputy Naughten for introducing the amendment and for raising the matter previously with my colleague the Minister, Deputy McEntee, on Committee Stage. I am particularly conscious of the challenges faced by victims in prosecutions for harassment and stalking. The trial process, while respecting the rights of the accused, must absolutely respect the rights of the victim and it must try to avoid repeat victimisation, intimidation and retaliation. Ensuring that the trial process respects the rights of victims …

I again thank the Deputy. I think everyone in this House can unite behind wanting to reduce the further trauma a victim could face when bringing criminal proceedings to encourage and help people to come forward. Trying to support a victim in the journey through the criminal justice system is very much at the core of our work and at the core of the zero-tolerance strategy towards domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. I have outlined to the House that the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act 2017 puts some p…

I thank the Deputy for his amendment and for the passion with which he spoke to the issue. I understand that the period in the amendment relates to the length of an order under section 10(4), which is being referred to as the no-contact order. Where a person is convicted of an offence under the newly amended section, the court may make an order requiring the offender not to communicate with the victim or approach his or her place of residence, employment or education. Such conviction-based orders are distinct from …

I am indicating that we intend to look further at how we can refine the civil and criminal interactions, as we discussed earlier in the Seanad. I do not want to pre-empt those considerations but it is what we intend to do. Everything we are doing with this legislation, in other legislation we are bringing forward and everything we do under the zero tolerance strategy for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is about supporting the victim and the victim's journey. There are a number of ways to go about that. T…

I am pleased to be here. I thank Deputy Feighan for raising the issue. Like him, I recall the contribution of our former colleague and friend Tony McLoughlin on these issues. I thank Deputy Feighan for engaging with me on this issue over recent weeks and months. As he will appreciate, and as outlined in his contribution, the Garda Commissioner is responsible in law for the management and administration of Garda business, which includes all operational policing decisions. The Commissioner is also responsible for the…

I thank the Deputy and commend his family's proud tradition of service with An Garda Síochána. There is no greater service given than that of the men and women of An Garda Síochána in keeping our country and people safe. They have done so proudly through community policing for 100 years. We are all very conscious of and grateful for that. Divisional headquarters have moved from my constituency to the neighbouring county but I know when I talk to constituents, neighbours, friends and fellow public representatives th…

I want to thank Deputy Cahill for raising this important issue. I will certainly seek an update on Garda resources for County Tipperary because I am conscious that Tipperary is the home of Garda recruitment. The Deputy and I have visited the Garda College in Templemore and the Deputy knows it very well. We will visit it again shortly as we welcome more Garda recruits into it in May. Oversight and evaluation are welcome and important elements in developing and improving our penal system. The work of the Office of th…

I again thank Deputy Cahill for raising this important issue and for putting across his point succinctly and forcefully. I assure him that I will continue to engage with him as we publish the Bill and as we engage with the OPW. I am happy to keep in touch with him in this regard.

In answer to Senator Wilson's rhetorical question, I do not think any of us can imagine the ongoing pain, grief and trauma the families have been put through. I feel humbled to be here this evening on behalf of the Government and in my role as Minister for Justice to respond to this important and timely debate. I join colleagues in the Seanad in welcoming the families and the representatives of the WAVE Trauma Centre. I look forward to taking up the offer to engage and meet with them and to see how we can support t…

We do.

I thank Senators Hoey and Gavan, and Senator Black in her absence, for raising this important issue. I genuinely appreciate the opportunity it gives me to update them, the Seanad and, most importantly, the tutors, on the matters the Senators have raised. As we all know, more than 3,300 adult education tutors are employed across our 16 education and training boards, ETBs. I agree they do incredibly good work. I have met many of them across the country, some of whom I have met in Leinster House and in my Department. …

I would like to bring this to a conclusion within the coming weeks. I acknowledge the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform is engaging fully and intensively with my officials. Indeed, I am engaging with the Minister in that Department on this matter. It is appropriate that engagement takes place. We are seeking to move to a different scenario as regards terms, conditions and pay than the one we have previously been in. That is right and appropriate because of the very valu…

I thank Senator Ahearn for raising this matter and for taking me to Kickham Barracks in Clonmel on a number of occasions to see the significant progress being made on the site, which in no small part is thanks to his work and advocacy. It was brilliant to see the plaza site and superb to be able to say that Kickham Barracks will be home to a new third level campus. It is one of the first campuses in the country that will incorporate further and higher education. While I am taking this matter as Minister for Justice…

I understand the Senator's frustration on behalf of his constituents and the people of Clonmel. There has been some progress made. Planning permission has been in place since 2021 to build a Garda station in Clonmel. When this Government was formed and our party came to office this was identified as a priority. It has been on the list of projects that will be funded. This planning permission has been sought and secured and now the Taoiseach is working with me, the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, and the Minister of State…

I thank the Senator for raising this important and timely matter. When the Government came into office and I became Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, there were no plans to expand veterinary medicine in Ireland. If officialdom had been asked whether we needed extra veterinary places, the answer would have been no. I found that quite bizarre because many young and not so young people have to leave Ireland every year to study veterinary medicine. There is also a particular i…

I believe Senator Ahearn also wants to be associated with these remarks. As much as I have great regard for all of my colleagues and for the points they have made, they will understand why I am resisting commenting on any specific application out of respect to the independence of the process. I will just make two points. On a general point with respect to the University of Limerick, we do not often get to say these things on the record. The University of Limerick has been transformational for the mid-west. There is…

I thank the Deputies for raising this issue and for their ongoing engagement on it. Like everyone in this House, I am absolutely clear that the criminal events in Ballyfermot this week – that is what they were – were completely unacceptable. I absolutely acknowledge that the activity was not in any way reflective of the good, decent people of Ballyfermot. I share their revulsion over what happened this week. People have rightly been appalled over the lack of respect for the community living in Ballyfermot and the g…

The criminal acts carried out in Ballyfermot the other day were the responsibility of those who decided to carry out those criminal acts and attack members of An Garda Síochána and injure a serving member, to whom we all send our best wishes and wish a speedy recovery. I am very satisfied that the full rigours of the law will apply in that case. I have already outlined the active investigation that is under way, including people being arrested, bikes being seized and files being prepared for the DPP. That is the ri…

I thank Deputy Kenny for this question. We had a chance to begin to explore this issue at a committee meeting and I am grateful we have a chance to discuss it further. As the Deputy will be aware, the Judiciary is independent in the exercise of its functions. Since the Covid restrictions have been lifted, the courts have resumed working at full capacity. The Courts Service works closely with the Judiciary to prioritise urgent work and address backlogs that have been exacerbated by the pandemic. I am acutely aware o…

I join the Deputy in commending the organisations he mentioned. I had the pleasure of meeting almost all of them when we had them in the Department to discuss how we will develop the new domestic, sexual and gender-based violence agency. The Deputy supports the agency and we intend to legislate for it shortly. I hope to bring the draft legislation to Cabinet within a month and have it up and running by next January. I cannot stress enough that interim orders are dealt with immediately. I await with interest the rep…