Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

It is apparently a tradition for who ever happens to be the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform in the Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats Government to every six months announce the Government is about to publish the DNA database Bill and to issue a press release which is then welcomed by the media and receives great coverage. Very often, it generates a repetitive editorial. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Dermot Ahern, did so in the past few days.

Will the Tánaiste indicate when that Bill will come before this House? Also, will she acknowledge this is an urgent necessity particularly in the area of sex crimes? The Garda Síochána are fighting criminals and conducting investigations with their hands tied behind their backs because we have no DNA database in respect of, for example, released sex offenders within the community.

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