Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

First, I thank and acknowledge the Technical Group for allowing me some of its speaking time and compliment Deputy Halligan on bringing what is an excellent Bill before the House. It will be a defining moment in this Government if the Minister tries to reject this Bill, because it would be a mean-spirited person who would try to find fault with what is being put before the House tonight and tomorrow night. It is an excellent Bill that the majority of right-minded people the length and breadth of this country would support and endorse because they would appreciate the sentiment and thrust of it. What Deputy Halligan is saying is correct: those who do harm to somebody else, who invade another person's privacy or who damage property or steal property should be made pay for it.

I respect the Minister of State, Deputy Perry, for being here tonight. I have no difficulty whatsoever with Deputy Perry - he is doing his job - but I will say something about the man who should be sitting in his seat tonight, the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter. Of course the Minister should do Deputy Halligan and the Technical Group, who are bringing this Bill before the House, the courtesy of sitting there, listening to the debate and taking it all on board and then coming forward with his own suggestions and proposals. Whether he is going to accept or reject it - and we know he is probably going to reject it - the least the man should do is give them the courtesy of listening to the debate. Unfortunately, when one is dealing with somebody who is so arrogant - beyond belief - that he would not even say hello to one outside in the corridor, one is dealing with an unusual individual. I do not mind saying that on the record because all of my colleagues and his own colleagues know it is the truth. If God made us all the same, I suppose it would be a funny world.

Why is crime on the increase? I will tell Members why crime is on the increase. This Minister for Justice and Equality and the Government have misled the people in the fight against crime. The Minister came into the House and said he was closing Garda stations to save money. When I proved on the record that it costs more to keep a Garda station closed than to keep it open, he changed his tune. Then, he said he was closing the Garda stations to provide better policing on the ground. When I asked him a question about whether the hours in Garda stations were being replaced, the Minister replied that they would be deployed in community centres and post offices. He bought mobile vans to put gardaí into. He changed his mind again and did more U-turns and came out with more differing statements on the issue. The man who resigned today backed him up 100%. They were joined at the hip on this issue. The Garda stations could not have closed in Ireland only for the collusion between the Minister for Justice and Equality and the Garda Commissioner, who were joined at the hip.

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