Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

While I thank the Minister for his attendance, I wish to express a concern. These are very substantial amendments with which I am comfortable only because I am a former spokesperson on justice. Members only received them at 5 p.m. on Tuesday evening and both Deputy Tóibín and I were in the Chamber, together with the Minister, for most of the day yesterday. Consequently, our capacity to consult with our colleagues in justice was quite restricted. I welcome the amendments - although I have a query on one - and they certainly appear to be fair. I welcome anything that will put more gardaí on the street at this time in particular. I hope the estimated 50 full-time equivalents the Minister has predicted will be on the streets and will be available to assist people there. I am concerned about the proposal to rationalise the registration functions services from 90 centres to what I gather from the Minister's broader remarks may be three or four such facilities. Some of the people concerned have very few resources and as for placing an expectation on them to avail of public transport to travel to a registration centre, which may be quite a distance from where they are based, I ask the Minister to tease through how that will work. What provision will be in place for those who have minimal resources to allow them to do this?

I welcome all the other measures, as there is no doubt but that at present, the review process is long and arduous. People are stuck in it for too much time and are left in limbo with regard to their position in the country. Anything to resolve this or to make it more fair is better and I also welcome the extension of time. However, I wish to register formally my concerns about the short notice Members received in this regard. The Minister of State, Deputy Sherlock, signalled that this would be introduced only last week and it is a pure coincidence that I am familiar with the brief from my tenure of a previous portfolio. I am otherwise happy to welcome the amendments, subject to the Minister clarifying the position on the rationalisation of the registration function.

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