Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Thank you, Chair. I am very grateful.

Regarding the Special Criminal Court, I would much prefer we had trial by jury but I will not be the one to compromise the Garda if it wants to bring to justice druglords and criminal gangs. If the only way to deal with them is the Special Criminal Court, so be it. They have to be dealt with because our towns and villages are ravaged by drugs. The usual story now is that someone will walk up to you, not knowing you at all, and ask you if you want a bit of stuff. That is what is going on in all our towns and villages, even in the most rural parts of Kerry. They must be rooted out and the issue must be dealt with because our youth are being destroyed.

I wish to raise another, more local issue, a new Circuit Court house for Tralee. We need to agree a site. Urgent discussions should take place now between all the interested parties: the Department of Justice, solicitors, businesspeople, members of the community and whoever else. There are different sites, including Ballymullen Barracks, that need to be considered. It must be ensured that this courthouse is included in the imminent investment programme for public buildings. Otherwise, another opportunity may not arise for years, which in effect would mean, as is happening at the moment, that the Circuit Court would be lost to Tralee forever and finish up in Limerick or elsewhere.

That is not good enough for the massive county of Kerry. We need our Circuit Court operating in a proper building with modern infrastructure and to ensure it is in place for all those who need to use it.

Another request has been asked of me and I will ask it very briefly. Two Kerrymen have died, one in Garda custody. One was from Fenit, Shane Lynch, who died in Limerick, and the other, whose name was John O’Driscoll, died in Wexford. This happened weeks ago and their families are asking for clarity as to what happened. I know an investigation is taking place and we all want fair play but these families just want clarification as to what happened to these two Kerrymen in other counties.

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