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

I thought the Deputy knew the answer to the question she is raising, but I think she is only raising the question to grab a headline. If the DPP or anybody else does not comply with court orders, he or she is accountable to the court. Are there court procedures in place to deal with any individual engaged in litigation of any description, be it civil or criminal, against whom it is alleged that he or she does not comply with court orders? Of course there are. That is an issue that the courts address. It is not an issue for Parliament, nor is it an issue on which prejudicial comment or judgments should be expressed by Members of this House if matters are still current and before our courts. It is unfortunate that the Deputy has travelled this route this morning, but it is helpful to illustrate the frailty of her case and to illustrate the dangers posed by her suggestion that the DPP should be accountable to this House for the manner in which prosecutorial decisions are made.

However, in the context of victims' rights, I support the enactment of new legislation to incorporate the new European measure, which I supported when it was going through the Council of Ministers. The Deputy may not be aware that I previously published two Bills on victims' rights, the most recent in 2002. The EU measure, together with the previous legislation that was drafted, will inform the content of what we bring before the House, which will not be minimalist in the context of victims' rights, and may address some issues that we are not obliged to address under the EU provision for the benefit of victims of crime.

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