Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Again, I am encouraged by the Minister's words but I want to be sure that this legislation can be enacted before a general election. This is the type of legislation that can define a Minister and a Government; indeed, it can define the body politic. How much are we going to risk to enact legislation to protect those who are powerless? To my mind, this is an indication of how serious we are about law and order in Irish politics. This legislation is also a test of how serious the Minister is about pushing back against those who will use the race card in an election year to gain some cheap racist votes for themselves. I want to support the Minister, as does my party. We were disappointed with some of the narratives that came out post-referendum, with people running away from the importance of this legislation. Can the Minister give me some more encouragement by indicating when we might see this Bill enacted?

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