Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the re-establishment of the Cabinet committee on justice reform. The lack of action and inertia within government and the system in general in the past while have been somewhat disturbing. I met representatives of a north inner city group approximately one month ago in the context of the appalling gangland crime in the area. Much of the conversation and discussion focused on the impact on young people, the lack of a co-ordinated policy initiative in areas such as the north inner city and the withdrawal of many supports, including concerns that Tusla would reduce funding for the young people's facilities and services fund introduced by my party in government more than a decade ago.

They also referred to the Misuse of Drugs Act and noted that prescription drugs were the drugs of choice in the locality where young people were earning large amounts from distributing them. However, the Garda has told the group that its hands are tied in terms of being able to do anything about it. While I welcome the decision to earmark legislation to tackle this issue, why has it taken so long? Deputy Róisín Shortall has confirmed that the issue was raised three years ago when she was a Minister of State in the Department of Health and that it was crying out to be dealt with at the time. With the new configuration in the Dáil in the aftermath of the general election, one gets a sense of urgency on some of these issues, but one must ask why there has been such a delay in amending the Misuse of Drugs Act to deal with a critical issue that is causing death and destruction and the disruption of local communities.

Likewise, in respect of proposals for a mini-Criminal Assets Bureau, community activists and organisers on the ground identified this issue some time ago. However, it has taken the recent murders to witness legislative action on that front, which begs the question as to why there has been such a delay and a sense of inertia at the heart of justice policy.

While I do not wish to pre-empt the decision of the Minister on the matter, my colleague, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, has a progressive and constructive parole Bill before the House. I would like the Government to examine the legislation constructively with a view to signalling its support for it. The purpose of the Bill is to depoliticise the process of parole, modernise the statutory basis for parole and give the process greater objectivity. This is the type of constructive legislation that should garner approval across the House.

Is the Taoiseach satisfied that the Policing Authority has the necessary breadth and depth of powers required to discharge its functions?

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