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

There is a range of issues to be covered. First, on the draft policing, security and community safety Bill which Deputy Bacik raised, in April of last year the general scheme was published. Among the objectives, clearly, is to provide a new, more coherent governance and oversight framework to strengthen both the external oversight of An Garda Síochána, as well as its internal governance. The approach was recommended by the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland in its 2018 report. In preparing the scheme, the Department of Justice has had advice from the Attorney General. I take Deputy Bacik's point and I know that the Labour Party has a view on the policing board and the issue around governance.

The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice is currently conducting pre-legislative scrutiny on the Bill and has already heard from a number of interested parties including the Garda Commissioner. I trust the Labour Party representative on that committee is pursuing the issues also and I look forward to reading the committee's report in due course. The Department of Justice will continue to engage with the Garda Commissioner and other stakeholders in progressing this important legislation. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, hopes to be in a position to seek the approval of the Cabinet before the summer. However, there are a number of dependencies that will impact the finalisation of the draft Bill. There is a commitment to consult with stakeholders on a draft of the Bill once it is sufficiently advanced. The receipt of the joint committee's report and consideration of its recommendations will have an impact on the timing of those consultations. In addition, in view of the size of the draft, it will also be necessary to allow a number of weeks for stakeholders to respond once they receive the draft. I understand that the pre-legislative scrutiny report is expected to be received by mid-May. Subject to the drafting of the Bill being sufficiently advanced, a draft of the Bill may be circulated to stakeholders in mid-June. Perhaps during the course of all of that work there can be further consideration of and reflection on the governance structures.

On crime statistics, I am not quite clear on Deputy Murphy's concerns.

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