Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. I agree with the previous speaker that nobody has a monopoly on good ideas for victims. Very many people in this House, by the nature of the work they do, have a great insight into the impact of crime on victims in society. For the people on that side to suggest they have the only answer to this situation is farcical in the extreme. If they were serious about a bipartisan approach they would not take the measures they have taken tonight.

Yesterday evening Deputy Shatter asked what is so objectionable about a Bill that seeks to improve the position of victims of crime in the criminal justice system. While the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform agrees with the sentiments behind the Bill, his approach is to legislate where necessary and introduce administrative structures where they are more likely to deliver real results for the people. That is what he is doing in the justice for victims initiative. The previous speaker discussed establishing an independent statutory commission, yet his colleagues are all talking about the fact that the Government has set up far too many quangos. One cannot have it both ways and one must keep a balanced approach. The advantage of establishing a victims of crime office in the Department is that it can be done almost immediately and be up and running by September 2008 rather than having to wait for the legislative process to take its course. This way we get over the Deputy's concern as to when the spring might come. The reconstituted commission will also be established in this timeframe and arrangements for the inaugural meeting with the victims of crime consultative forum can then be made. The package of measures will begin to deliver results within a matter of months.

To remove any doubt on the legislation side, the Minister's commitment is to bring forward a Bill in the spring of 2009.

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