Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Kenny for putting this amendment forward. I note the concerns of the Deputies. The primary objective, as Deputy Howlin has said, in bringing this legislation forward is to restore the system as it currently is. I know the Minister of State, Deputy Browne, acknowledged yesterday the speed at which the legislation has come through. I very much appreciate Deputies' support and assistance in making sure that happens. There has probably been insufficient time to look at amendments, as is suggested, but I will point to a way in which we can look at this at a later date. We have the general scheme of the policing security and community safety Bill, which has been published. That Bill, when enacted, will repeal the Garda Síochána Act 2005. Today, we are trying to keep that Act in place, but there is a report of a high-level group on the role of An Garda Síochána in the public prosecution system and that will be considered overall in the proposed Bill. It will be a matter of weeks when I get that report and we will be able to reflect on that. Members will be able to reflect on it and we will come back to the points the Deputies have made. They could then be reflected in the wider Bill, which we hope to have moving after the summer. It is more a matter of timing. It is about getting this Bill through quickly and keeping the Act as it currently stands based on the 2005 law, but there will be an opportunity to come back to this and focus on the points Deputy Kenny has addressed and rightly raised.

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