Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

The Minister has distinguished between, on the one hand, the modus operandi of the Garda and, on the other, the fact that human rights in their entirety are not a matter for the Garda to police. I often get the impression during discussions on human rights that people have in mind criminals in the custody of the Garda. I am much more persuaded by the human rights of the victims of those in custody which have been seriously infringed. They should be part and parcel of the Garda's approach to the protection of human rights. Gardaí should ensure that no stone is left unturned to bring people to justice and prosecute cases. This is an important consideration. Obviously, in operating this principle it is important that the Garda Síochána does not overstep human rights requirements while dealing with those being brought to book or held in custody.

We must maintain a balance on this issue. A body of opinion holds that, through our legislative process, we have tipped the balance too far in favour of criminals and further from the interests of victims. This legislation is about striking a balance and the phraseology in this context is fair and reasonable.