Paddy McHugh (Galway East, Independent)

He has also spoken recently about the type of person responsible for the attacks on his party's headquarters in Dublin. It was embarrassing, to put it mildly, to see our Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform making a fool of himself in a bullying manner on national television and, in the process, letting himself and all of us down. I say "our" Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform because he is this country's Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. He should act accordingly, rather than like some local tribal warlord whom one dares not cross, question or disagree with. Our citizens are entitled to be represented by Ministers who have a capacity for balance, understanding and leadership. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has not displayed any of those qualities in recent times, unfortunately. He has shown himself to be self-centred, dictatorial and intolerant of views that are contrary to his own. As Ireland is a democracy, people are entitled to make up their own minds on issues and express their views without fear. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform should take the lead in protecting the rights of our citizens and ensuring that freedom of expression is guaranteed. The protection of the rights of citizens should come without any qualification, should be unequivocal and should not be accompanied by any side-swipes unbecoming of a Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

When the Criminal Justice Bill 2004 was published, it comprised 38 pages. The amendments to the Bill which have been published by the Minister comprise a further 326 pages, which means they are 8.5 times the size of the original Bill. The House has been asked to take this legislation seriously, but how can it do so? How can Members be confident that the Minister knows what he is doing when he has made such a monumental cock-up when introducing legislation to this House? His mistake has been highlighted by the need for him to issue bizarre instructions to the Select Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights telling it that it has the power to make provisions in the Criminal Justice Bill 2004 in respect of 13 separate matters. It is unacceptable that legislation is being put through the House in such an incompetent manner.

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