Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am at something of a disadvantage in that regard insofar as I do not have a Minister with whom I can discuss these issues. That is a consequence of the failure of the parties to agree to put together an executive in accordance with the wishes of the people. I enjoyed engagement with my Northern counterparts in the past but I am at something of a loss now. Had I a Minister with whom I could engage, this is precisely the type of issue I would like to deal with. I would welcome a submission from Deputy Ó Laoghaire and I am very anxious to hear from people. I had a number of meetings with stakeholders involved and advocacy groups which I thought was very worthwhile, and I hope they did too.

I am very keen the review will be a speedy one and that progress will be reported by the end of the summer with a view towards having a more concrete path forward in terms of change by the end of the year. However, I would see the issues in two baskets. The first basket would be court practice and procedure and how best to reduce the trauma and, indeed, the vulnerability of many complainants, witnesses and victims before our criminal justice system and the interaction with the Garda Síochána to ensure continued roll-out of the new obligations on engagement. The second basket would be to consider any proposed legislative change, which would be more medium term. I would hope to be in a position to produce items from both baskets, some of which could be dealt with fairly speedily, by the end of the year. I have met advocacy groups, victims' groups and An Garda Síochána and I intend to formally meet members of the legal profession.

The Deputy is correct about engagement with Northern Ireland. I know there is engagement between the legal bodies, for example. There is contact between our respective Departments and officials will meet next Friday. There is ongoing engagement between PSNI and An Garda Síochána. I would welcome any submission that the Deputy, his party or, indeed, this committee might like to make. I anxious that this does not become a body of work that takes years to complete. In terms of the two baskets, on the one hand, there is practice and procedure and the Garda Síochána while, on the one hand, there is any proposed legislative change.

The fallout, or the consequential adverse public opinion or anxiety, from the Belfast case has got to be set against the background of this case taking place in another jurisdiction. Our law is different and many of the anxieties in Northern Ireland would not be reflected here in terms of the manner in which we run our cases, with particular reference to anonymity or screen-based procedures, for example.