Joanna Tuffy (Labour)

Senator Brian Hayes and others welcomed the enhanced co-operation between the Garda Síochána and the PSNI, which was marked yesterday by the signing of an agreement between the two police forces. There is a far more accountable police service in Northern Ireland thanks to the implementation of the Patten report. The Garda Síochána Bill 2004, currently before the Dáil, has taken account of some of the Northern Ireland measures. However, the Minister has not taken account of the most radical measure, namely, that there is an independent policing board in the North with democratic representation that oversees the police force, decides matters of strategy, and so on. The next meeting of the board will be held on 2 March in Belfast and members of the public can go along and watch democracy being implemented with regard to their police force. That is the most important measure in the Patten report and we need it here.

Senator Norris commended the work of individuals in Fianna Fáil with regard to charity fundraising for homeless Irish emigrants in the UK. That should not permit Fianna Fáil to hide from the fact that the Government has not kept to the recommendations of its own task force on funding for organisations working with homeless Irish emigrants.