Anne Ferris (Wicklow, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Thirteen is considered by some people to be an unlucky number. Over the 13-year period that Fianna Fáil spent in government from 1997, no fewer than five different Ministers for Justice served the nation. Many of the grave and serious pigeons that came home to roost in recent weeks on the roof of the Department of Justice and Equality were launched into orbit during the era of fianna failure.

Over the past three years, the current Government, including the Minister for Justice and Equality, has put considerable effort into undoing inherited legal problems and their social impacts. The Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality has covered a lot of ground in just three years. As a committee we have considered 19 individual reforming Bills. We have conducted no fewer than ten in-depth examinations of areas where poor legislation was ignored for years. I could go on with a big list but I will not do so.

The Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality is currently considering issues concerning Irish prisoners abroad, public order offences, human trafficking, community courts, domestic violence, sexual violence, restorative justice, the children and family relationships Bill, the new criminal justice Bill and the recent review of the Garda Síochána.

See this speech in context