Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not want to get into a discussion about ongoing Garda operations but I will say that everybody in this country has a right to be safe. That applies to people ordinarily residing in the State and to people fleeing persecution who are in our country seeking protection. Every single person has a right to be safe and to feel safe. I have spoken directly to the Garda Commissioner and he very much shares that view.

I am very proud of the role the Garda is playing in very difficult circumstances. There have been a small number of high-profile incidents in which we have seen the Garda act. It has acted with the seriousness the situation required. Garda intelligence and Garda work is under way and ongoing, for which I thank the force. I have seen the pictures on social media and elsewhere showing the efforts to intimidate members of the Garda. I will follow up on the Deputy’s question as to whether there is a leaflet for distribution. I do not mean to be flippant in saying that. I take his point, which is a serious and valid one that is sincerely made. I understand the Oireachtas is considering a number of measures at the moment, such as caucuses and other ways in which we can advance information.

I agree with Deputy Kenny that there can be a little bit of an attitude in this country such that we look to other countries and say, “God almighty, look at what is happening over there." It is as though we think we are immune to that sort of thing. We are not immune to extremism in this country. It is important that democratic institutions stay united in pushing back against those who attempt to undermine our democracy.

The Acting Chairman spoke about domestic, sexual and gender-based violence and the agency that is to be established. It is my intention to bring the relevant draft legislation to the Cabinet soon, possibly by the end of this month and certainly by the beginning of March. That draft Bill will then go to this committee for pre-legislative scrutiny. We had a stakeholders' workshop last week, not on the legislation but on how we might co-design an agency. It was a very good engagement. Drawing up the legislation is the next stage.

It is important when we talk about the changes and improvements that are needed to deal with domestic, sexual and gender-based violence that we couple such efforts with sending out a clear message about the help that is available. I say to anybody watching these proceedings today who is in immediate danger that he or she should call 999 or go to stillhere.ie, where there is lots of information. Within every Garda division in the country, there is now a specialist protective unit. Specialist training has taken place in every division. No matter what part of the country people live in, whether rural or urban, there will be a garda and a Garda unit ready to support them. There will be a garda who know what to do to help them. I would hate anybody to delay coming forward in the view that the Government will change something at some point in the future. Help is already available.

I agree with the Acting Chairman that we need more youth diversion programmes. My colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy James Browne, is working extremely hard and doing excellent work on the youth justice strategy. I will feed the Acting Chairman's points back to him. He has an increased budget in that area this year.

On the Criminal Assets Bureau, we only have the 2021 figures until such time as the 2022 report comes to the Government and is published. The 2021 figures show that CAB seized more than €3 million in assets and oversaw the return of more than €5 million to the Exchequer in the course of that year. We intend to review the CAB legislation. It needs to be done. CAB has been extraordinarily successful but we need to enhance the level at which it can intervene and help with some of the timelines. I will be coming back on that issue.

Deputy Kenny and the Acting Chairman asked about the Legal Aid Board. This is an issue on which we are engaging with our colleagues in the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. The Deputies will be aware there is work being done on the issue of legal aid. I take the point about rates, which is something on which we are engaging.

The Acting Chairman is right in his point about community gardaí. Our specialist units are extraordinarily important in dealing with some of the issues we have discussed. Whether it is the Garda National Immigration Bureau or the work around sexual violence, human trafficking, drugs and so on, lots of the issues require specialist units. The skills that can be developed by members of An Garda Síochána working in a specialist area help to keep us safe. However, we also need community gardaí. It is about providing for both. We have to be able to do more than one thing at a time, which is a view the Garda Commissioner shares. We are bringing forward a community policing model. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, has been clear that we want to get to a point such that no matter where in Ireland people live, they will know the name, telephone number and email address of their community garda. As we expand the number of sworn members of An Garda Síochána, we will get to that point. I expect to get there in the course of 2024.

Deputy Daly asked about meetings and engagements with ambassadors. That certainly does happen. While I personally have not met the Georgian ambassador on the particular matter the Deputy raised, officials in my Department have done so. There is ongoing engagement with ambassadors and with airline management. Departmental officials met representatives of all the main airline carriers as recently as two weeks ago. That engagement is ongoing and is a key continuing part of our work.

The Deputy made an interesting point about visas. I should have said more about this in my earlier comment. We want to ensure people can find the appropriate door, so to speak, if they are considering coming to Ireland. For some, that might be international protection, which applies when people are fleeing persecution. Alongside that, and speaking with my education and apprenticeship hat on, we have huge labour market shortages. We need some 50,000 more people to work in construction if we are to meet our retrofitting and housing targets. In any information campaign, it is about pointing out to people the appropriate and legal ways to come to Ireland. However, there must be a rules-based approach if somebody comes here in a way that is not in compliance with the law. International protection is for people fleeing persecution. Its purpose is specific and clear. However, there are other ways of coming to Ireland. More than 40,000 work permits were introduced last year. We should continue to have conversations about the skill sets we need in the people who come to our country to help with labour force needs.