Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I very much appreciate the need for Deputies to be very careful about how we deal with these issues and for this reason, I will ask the Taoiseach about promised legislation to reform the Courts Service and provide for a new court of appeal. I also wish to ask about the particular problems with the Court of Criminal Appeal, which is constituted on a part-time basis. The judges who sit in the court are drawn from the High Court and Supreme Court and have significant additional obligations elsewhere. Consequently, the court has a backlog and victims and accused persons experience major delays in having their cases processed. This has led to inconsistency and a lack of clarity in sentencing.

As we have seen, more coherence is necessary, particularly in respect of sexual offences against children. As the Taoiseach has acknowledged, there is widespread public concern following the outcome of yesterday's decision in the rape case in the Central Criminal Court.

My father was an abuser. Abuse creates in a family devastation that is beyond description. It takes a very strong family to cope. I am blessed that I have one. However, we have a duty to protect actively those who fall victim to abuse. Ms Fiona Doyle deserves the support of the Dáil.

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