Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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5. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will outline her legislative priorities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51444/22]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Tógfaidh an Teachta Bruton ceist an Teachta Carey.

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I would be interested in learning of the Minister's priorities. What I hear from ordinary members of the public is frustration in respect of appropriate and consistent sentencing, support for the position of victims in the system and the need to embed the multi-agency approach she has been successfully rolling out in a number of particularly difficult communities. I would like that enshrined more strongly in law.

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Whether it is antisocial behaviour, crime or wider issues we are dealing with, we need to ensure we have that multi-agency approach. We have seen this in the task force in the north inner city, the Vivian Guerin report on Drogheda and, more recently, the piloting of community safety partnerships. This is a structure that works. With the support of Government, it brings State agencies together with An Garda Síochána, local communities and local businesses. We are asking communities what resources they need to keep them safe and what are the issues on the ground. It is specific to individual communities. A key component of the new Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2021 is enshrining this right throughout the country and ensuring that every community has a community safety partnership and sets out its own plan that will be supported and resourced through the agencies with An Garda Síochána and supported by Government.

We have recently seen results in Drogheda, where there have been significant levels of crime, great amounts of antisocial behaviour and deprivation in certain areas. Following on from a report that was built up by the community, we are now investing in educational services, we have seen increased numbers of gardaí, including community gardaí, on the ground and we have had successful applications to the community safety innovation fund, which is money being taken from criminals and put back into communities. That is the type of response people want. It deals with issues around antisocial behaviour and issues of deprivation because it does not just look at things from a justice perspective. It allows people to feel part of the process of improving safety in their own communities.

Problems have also arisen in a number of different areas in the Deputy's constituency, specifically in Darndale. A report was carried out on that community. We now need to make sure that the pilot programmes in Drogheda and the inner city are expanded quickly. There will be a number of smaller, more targeted pieces of work with regard to that multi-agency approach and the plans in communities. These will be rolled out over the coming weeks before being spread out more widely in the next year and a half so that every county will have that same type of approach, investment and commitment from Government.

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I am heartened by the Minister's response. The speed of implementation will be the issue. I will ask her about other issues I am concerned about. There is still a sense among the public that appropriate and consistent sentencing is not a feature. It causes immense upset to feel that some serious cases are not treated seriously enough by the courts while the opposite occurs in other cases. There is a need to strengthen the victim's position, in which I know the Minister has taken a keen interest. Is she considering further legislative proposals to give more reassurance on consistency of sentencing and support for victims?

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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With specific regard to victims, the victims' forum was established in the past year. It brings together quite a number of different representative groups and organisations that support victims and survivors and considers what more we can do through policy, legislation or funding supports. That work is ongoing. We have identified a number of key strands to work on initially. Domestic violence is one of these. My plan, Supporting a Victim's Journey, is solely focused on how to support victims through the criminal justice system.

With regard to sentencing, while there needs to be a focus on prevention, we need to make sure that, where serious crime happens, there are serious consequences. Last week, the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022 reached Second Stage. Through the Bill, I will increase the penalty for assault causing harm from five to ten years. At the moment, people who break into someone's home or damage property can get up to ten years in prison while people who stab others who subsequently recover may get less than five years. It is important that people see that the Judiciary is capable of imposing significant sentences where serious crimes are committed. That is something people want to see.

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I am happy with the Minister's reply. Consistency of sentencing remains a problem but I realise there are limits to what a Minister can do in respect of decisions taken by courts.

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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More broadly, the Judicial Council is looking at sentencing in general and trying to provide guidelines. It has started this work and is looking at a number of areas, one of which is sexual offences, and is making sure there are guidelines set out for the Judiciary. Our role here in the Oireachtas is, more generally, to set the upper limit. We have some crimes where there is a minimum sentence but that is in very few instances. There is a review under way on that at the moment. Separate to increasing the sentence around assault causing harm, we are increasing the sentence for conspiracy to murder. It is not in line with murder, which is a life sentence. Just because somebody fails in their attempt to murder someone, the intent is still there and the punishment should be no less. We are also looking at, for the most serious of crimes, giving a judge the opportunity to say a person should serve a certain amount of time before they come before the parole board. That would be more than 12 years, which is currently the statutory number. If somebody commits multiple murders, serious sexual assault, rape, or any penalty that could result in a life sentence, it would be within the remit of the judge to say that a person must serve a minimum term of 20 or 30 years, or even longer, before they could come before the parole board. We need to make sure people know that if serious crimes are committed, the Judiciary has the flexibility to prescribe significant sentences.