Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Táim sásta an deis seo a fháil chun labhairt ar son an vóta muiníne san Aire, Helen McEntee. I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak today in support of the motion of confidence in the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee. First, I want to say my thoughts are with the children and their carer who were subjected to that horrific attack in Dublin on 23 November.

Táim ag smaoineamh orthu go léir, go háirithe na páistí a bhí gortaithe. I again thank the first responders and An Garda Síochána for their selfless and brave actions on that day and in dealing with the appalling events that unfolded that evening. They represented the true values of our democratic State. It is important for us as parliamentarians to acknowledge how we as a nation must continue to hold those values dear, particularly now, in the face of an onslaught of online disinformation and misinformation, and of harmful extremist content that preys on the vulnerable and incites hatred and violence. This is a real threat to our democracy, to the rule of law, to peace and to the very fabric of our State.

Now is not the time to play petty party politics. It is not the time to stoke division or seek political instability and it is certainly not the time to look for headlines and heads. Now is the time for unity of purpose across all parties. It is a time for us to work together in the Chamber to support all efforts to protect the key pillars of our democracy. That is exactly what the Government and the Minister, Deputy McEntee, are doing. There has been a robust response to those violent events in Dublin on 23 November. More than 30 people have been brought before the courts and as Garda investigations continue, we will undoubtedly see more. A high-visibility policing plan is under way in the city centre, which will provide a reassuring visible presence. It will continue throughout the Christmas period and is supported by additional overtime provided by the Minister, drawing in public order units and the dog and mounted units.

In addition, let us not forget that the Minister has enacted and is enacting significant reforms to support our gardaí, protect our citizens and make our country a safer place for all. She has increased investment in An Garda Síochána to the highest ever level, allowing for sustained, ongoing investment into Garda recruitment. Numbers in Templemore continue to increase and we are on track to have more than 700 new recruits into the college in 2023. Thus far this year, 237 new gardaí have been recruited, with a further 151 to be attested later this month. A new Garda recruitment competition will open again in the coming weeks.

The Minister has been a proactive Minister for Justice, driving the modernisation of our laws to counteract hate crime and hate speech. That, coupled with our efforts to tackle the issue of disinformation and harmful content online, is fundamental to addressing the growth of violent extremism and the protection of our liberal, democratic values. The Minister is taking measures to tackle the grave issue of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in our country. Among these, is the establishment of a statutory agency dedicated to tackling and reducing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence and supporting victims and survivors. A huge body of important work is under way in this area, under her stewardship, that needs to continue.

There is progress too in other areas of important legislation that will ultimately impact positively on all our daily lives in a wide variety of ways. The Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act contains measures targeting violent and organised crime and violence against gardaí. It also has a particular focus on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. This includes impactful measures, such as the increase in the maximum penalty for assault causing harm, one of the most commonly prosecuted violent offences, from five to ten years. The Sex Offenders (Amendment) Act improves post-release supervision of sex offenders and provides for electronic tagging. Coco's Law criminalises the distribution of intimate images without consent. The recording devices Bill provides for body-worn cameras to protect Garda members, automatic number plate recognition to detect crime, and greater use of CCTV. The landmark Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill provides for the establishment of a community safety partnership in every part of the country.

This is only a small sample of the important work being done by the Minister and her Department. So much more work is under way. This is progress and action in the interests of the Irish people. These are clear, practical solutions that will have a positive impact on our daily lives. They are not soundbites or political games but real, practical change that will make a long-lasting difference. I support and have full confidence in the Minister for Justice. Tá mo mhuinín agus mo dhlúth-thacaíocht ag an Aire, an Teachta McEntee, agus guím gach rath ar a cuid oibre.

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