Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Like others, my thoughts are with the children and the carer who were subjected to that horrific attack and I have full confidence in the Minister for Justice. She is a person of absolute integrity and dedication committed to reforming our justice system to make Ireland and our communities a safer place for all.

On justice issues, I have absolutely zero confidence in Sinn Féin. I have zero confidence in Sinn Féin as a party giving the Garda the support it needs to deal with the far right who want to undermine and destroy our country.

Sinn Féin has seen a political opportunity and seized on the recent horrific events for its own political gain. This is pure political exploitation at a time we have a sinister movement trying to undermine the very foundations of our State.

Sinn Féin wants to talk about justice. Here is its record on justice: Sinn Féin seeks to politicise policing at every turn, North and South. It continuously sows division in communities by undermining the Garda and the Commissioner and it undermines the State's effort to tackle organised crime and terrorism by continuously sitting on the fence on the Special Criminal Court. That is its record on justice.

Who exactly does Sinn Féin have confidence in? They have confidence in people who have collected Garda killers from prison. They have confidence in kangaroo courts and their own unique brand of rough justice. They have confidence in some members of their own parliamentary party who tried to storm Government Buildings and who tried to break the line of gardaí on our streets. We saw at the last election they have confidence in party members who continuously talk about breaking the State. It does not surprise me that Sinn Féin opposed the security of the State so routinely when many of its own members have come to the attention of the Garda.

People do not want political games. People do not want heads on plates. They want An Garda Síochána and the justice Minister united with grown-up politics and they want to fight against those who instigate disorder, division and destruction on our streets. I have full confidence in the Minister, Deputy McEntee.

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