James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will begin with waiting lists and delays in the courts. Our courts remained an essential service during the pandemic and were allowed to remain open, but there were some very real challenges around capacity in the courts system that resulted in a backlog. The Government is endeavouring to fill judicial vacancies at the earliest opportunity to ensure the courts have the necessary judges in place. Five additional judges were created during the summer under the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2021. A review of the need for judges across the different levels of the judicial system is being carried out. Judicial numbers are being kept under review. Appointments will be made as needed. There are delays and I have no doubt the courts will prioritise cases in a compassionate manner as always, taking into account the serious situations some people find themselves in.

On immigration and refugees, as I said in the Dáil last week, my deepest sympathies go to those who drowned in the channel. Every one of those people only looked for a better life for him or herself. They all have families and friends who will mourn their loss. In my county, there were tragic losses of refugees and asylum seekers who were found in a container. That anniversary is on 8 December. We will mark that in Drinagh in Wexford. We need to look at these situations with compassion.

I do not think Ireland has been found wanting. We have taken a very robust and generous approach to facilitating refugees who are brought into Ireland. The Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, has been very strong on that. That is also true in this Department of the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, and me. We moved quickly to put a policy in place to bring Afghan refugees to Ireland. We were one of the first, if not the first, European country to put a system like that in place. We called on our European colleagues to take a more European approach. It is challenging. There is no question. We are bringing as many refugees into Ireland as we have the capacity for. When you bring any refugee family into Ireland, there have to be the necessary supports available in education, mental health or physical, and depending on the refugees' individual backgrounds. I stand over what the Department of Justice and the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth have done around bringing those in need into Ireland. We are limited by capacity but we are keeping it under review always. We are dealing with all these situations in a compassionate manner and we will continue to do so.

I agree we must keep all these things under review. The Criminal Justice (Smuggling of Persons) Bill will be back in the Dáil this evening. It is perfectly understandable that there are people who are trying to seek a better life. Irish people through the generations have done that. However there are people - the smugglers - who seek to take financial benefit from this and put people's lives at risk. It is not to anyone's benefit that the smugglers can operate without consequences to themselves. We have to ensure smugglers are caught and prosecuted but that those trying to seek a better life are not prosecuted. The legislation we will debate this evening will ensure that is the case.