Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)

The issue of a debate on crime is a matter to be discussed with the Whips. The Government is always happy to facilitate debates on important matters.

The legislative programme has been published by the Government and I will not go through the 49 Bills to which the Deputy referred. The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform is a major law-making Department and we have enacted several items of legislation in recent years. It is not only about legislation, although legislation has an important part to play. It has many other aspects, including strengthening the Garda Síochána, which we have been doing.

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