Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

The Minister does not have a clue because he did not have the manners to sit and listen. The organisation which commented on the Minister's proposals was the Irish Council for Civil Liberties. I will quote the council again, if the Minister so wishes:

The changes the Minister has proposed will diminish the rights of accused people without improving life for victims of crime. It is a fallacy that taking liberties from accused persons can enhance the lives of victims. If the Government is genuinely interested in advancing the situation of victims then it must adopt a rights-based approach, including a statutory charter for victims of crime.

We owe it to the victims of crime that the State takes the required steps to protect them, to encourage them to rebuild their lives, to have faith in the justice system, to put them at ease when dealing with the justice system, the Garda Síochána and the courts and to keep them informed.

Sa lá atá inniu ann, ba cheart go mbeadh fhois ag gach duine faoi cad atá ag tarlú i ngach stad den chóras — níl aon leithscéal i leith seo — agus sna chúirteanna. Tá grupaí eile ag tabhairt tacaíochta don Bhille, agus ba chóir dúinn éisteacht leo agus an spreagadh a thabhairt chun déileála i gceart leis an cheist seo. Ba cheart dúinn an Bille seo a chur chuig coiste chun déileála le haon athraithe, nó píosaí briese a chur leis, gan fanacht leis an Rialtais.

Iarraim ar an tAire díriú ar seo agus gan é a dhiúltiú, an Bhille a thabhairt os comhair choiste agus tacaíocht a thabhairt don Bhille, agus é a athrú nó cur leis ag Céim an Choiste ionnnas go mbeidh Bille foirfe againn ag deireadh an próiseais, seachas fanacht le Bille an Aire an bhliain seo chugainn.

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