Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

All of these measures were enacted in the space of two years.

Innovation and bringing reforming legislation to this House has been a large part of my life's work as a TD over the past three decades, as well as tackling injustice and child abuse. It is what I do. With the expertise of Departments and the Attorney General's office working with me, a great deal more can be done than from the opposition benches. There is, of course, the additional benefit of a parliamentary majority.

Much of the work of Government is executive rather than legislative. We have addressed the plight of former residents of the Magdalen laundries - a matter ignored by our predecessors in government. I ensured that it was addressed. The Taoiseach has apologised in the Dáil.

We have reformed the approach taken to processing citizenship applications. Among the formalities of office which give me most pride and pleasure are the citizenship ceremonies which we have initiated and hold regularly. Through these, we fully embrace the many thousands from across the globe residing here who have become part of our Irish nation.

We are bringing enormous change to our prison system and we are taking initiatives to end slopping out and reduce recidivism and drug addiction.

Of course, there was opportunistic political play made on the consolidation of Garda stations. The truth is that criminals are mobile and a single member of An Garda Síochána in a station for three hours a day cannot leave the desk or prevent criminality generally in his district.

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