Ms Nóirín O'Sullivan:

I thank the Senator. As I stated earlier, and as the Senator rightly pointed out, bail is a matter for the courts. Gardaí do object to bail and if there are grounds on which to object, they certainly object to bail when the occasion arises. It is a constitutional right of individuals to get bail and sometimes, even if bail is refused, it will be appealed. However, that is outside the control of the Garda. As I stated, gardaí do object to bail and make applications to have certain conditions attached to bail if it is granted to an individual. They base that on their knowledge of the individual with part of it being the propensity to reoffend or the propensity to perpetrate violence on other people. It is something of which the Garda is highly conscious and we are committed to working with any laws that are under consideration at present that would help to protect further and keep safe the public.