Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am certainly very open to working with the Opposition on any Bills that might be put forward. On the Policing Authority, I built into the legislation that there would be a review by the end of this year. I look forward to that review, and in the meantime, if Bills come forward from the Opposition I will certainly examine those. We are working on the Parole Bill brought forward by Deputy O'Callaghan tomorrow, and this morning I brought a memo to Cabinet concerning the issue of maternal inquests in order that we can move ahead with Deputy Clare Daly's suggestions in that regard. I am certainly open to working with the Opposition on the ongoing reform programme because I agree that we have to move ahead. The Policing Authority will do that and the modernisation programme and monitoring will ensure that those recommendations are taken forward. We can discuss them here and in the Committee on Justice and Equality. A second report from the Policing Authority will provide food for thought on the progress, and we can certainly make sure that such monitoring continues. It is a five-year programme and will not happen overnight.

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