Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Before I begin I want to pay tribute and respects to the late Ashling Murphy, whose most precious life was stolen from her so cruelly and so brutally almost one week ago. Many of us here have spent the week learning about who Ashling Murphy was. She was a young woman. She was a teacher. She was a musician. She was a daughter, a sister, a friend and mentor to many, a young woman with her whole life ahead of her. Ashling was known all over the country for a musical talent. She toured Ireland and the UK with Comhaltas as a member of the prestigious National Folk Orchestra. Indeed, she often crossed paths with my own daughters through their musical involvement in fleadhanna cheoil and for her love for the Irish music and dance. They have known each other through the years. I would like to pay tribute to the whole Comhaltas family, to the former Seanadóir, Labhrás Ó Murchú, and to his bean chéile Una. They were heartbroken at the news and they loved her. My daughters have spoken this week of Ashling’s talent, her passion and her love for Irish traditional music. It is important that we pay tribute to her for the talented musician she was. It is also important that we remember Ashling as a brilliant musician, not only as a victim of such an unthinkable murder.

On my own behalf, as well as on behalf of my colleagues in the Rural Independent Group, our deepest condolences go out to her parents, Raymond and Kathleen, to her brother Cathal, to her sister and best friend Amy and to her boyfriend Ryan Casey. Our hearts break for her family, for her many friends, for the community in which she lived in Ireland, for the traditional music and Comhaltas community, for camogie and GAA, for the students and teaching staff who worked with her in Durrow National School and for all who mourn her loss at this time. A beautiful life gone far too soon. As my daughter, Máirín, remarked during the week, there will be tunes in heaven upon Ashling’s arrival. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam uasal ceolmhar.

Ashling's most brutal end has shocked the nation and has had a profound impact on the entire country but on women in particular. A beautiful young woman who had her life ended as she went for a run on a public path has left us all with a deep sense of shock. This must be a watershed moment for violence against women. It is just too horrific. As I said, women and all citizens are entitled to live in safety. It is time that we address the light-touch justice system that is leading to a society where women are afraid to walk down the street, are afraid to go for a run and are afraid to be alone.

Far too often, we witness cases in our judicial system where violent crimes, such as common assault, in which those who are repeat offenders get bail numerous times. They get free legal aid numerous times. I raise the whole area of tagging. It would be much easier to find these people with numerous records or criminal convictions if they were tagged. It is a no-brainer but there is a huge resistance to it. I hope that the Minister will break the resistance that seems to be present in the justice system. Simply, people can get free legal aid numerous times. I believe in two or three strikes and you are out. I go by the premise of innocent until proven guilty and we must provide that. However, where there are dozens and dozens of convictions, where there are umpteen instances of getting bail and where there are dozen crimes committed while on bail, it is shocking. We must stamp this out of society, because it has no place in this country. We must get real here. There are problems and there are issues. We must stand up and be counted and deal with the issues that are glaring in front of us.

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