Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

In light of yesterday's judgment by the Special Criminal Court, I think we would all agree that organised crime is a key strategic policy concern across Irish society. I commend the work of the Garda in the wake of the Hutch-Kinahan feud and note there have been no murders in the last four years in that regard. I also note that two convictions were secured in the court yesterday. The failure, however, to convict on the charge concerning the murder carried out at the Regency Hotel raised several questions regarding how and why the prosecution was taken, the basis for the murder charge and so forth.

I wish to ask the Taoiseach about a related matter, which is the appointment of the expert group in 2021 to carry out an independent review of the Offences Against the State Acts, and the apparatus of the Special Criminal Court as established by those Acts. That expert group was chaired by Mr. Justice Michael Peart. The then Minister for Justice said in response to Dáil questions before Christmas that she expected the final report of the review group to be received in the first quarter of 2023. Will the Taoiseach confirm if the final report has been received by Government, and whether he or the Minister for Justice has received it? I should say that we very much supported the holding and establishment of that review into the Offences Against the State Acts. That review received widespread support. I believe we would all wish to have the opportunity to debate the findings of that review.

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