Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I join the Cathaoirleach in welcoming the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Oisín Quinn, to the Gallery. He is here as a guest of Senator Barrett and it is good to see him. He might be one of our nearest residents, or one of the people who lives closest to Leinster House.

Last night I was a guest of the Lord Mayor in the Mansion House. I attended an excellent event to celebrate the village of Ranelagh, which formed part of his Vibrant Villages series. Other colleagues from Dublin may have attended other events. The events are an excellent means of updating traders, local business people, local residents, and people involved in community groups on the work that Dublin City Council is doing to improve amenities in particular areas. It is also an opportunity for officials from Dublin City Council to hear the concerns of local people and the improvements they seek for their areas. Last night's event was excellent and I thank the Lord Mayor for the invitation. I did not think I would have an opportunity to thank him publicly on the Seanad record today but I am grateful for the opportunity to do so.

I ask the Leader for a debate on penal reform. I have mentioned previously the report of the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality of 2013 on penal reform and measures to reduce the use of imprisonment. I seek a debate to address the concept of introducing an independent prisons authority since we have the very welcome commitment by the Government to introduce an independent police authority to act as a buffer between the Department of Justice and Equality and An Garda Síochána. It would also be worth considering the establishment of an independent prisons authority. The director general of the Irish Prison Service, Mr. Michael Donnellan, is doing an excellent job. Recently I had the opportunity to visit the Dóchas Centre, the women's prison, in north Dublin to see at first hand the improvements which had taken place. Conditions have greatly improved, as they have in Mountjoy Prison and in other prisons, which is welcome. However, we should look at the governance of prisons in a debate in the House.

A strong debate took place yesterday on the Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Bill 2013 with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Leo Varadkar, in which he outlined that the new legislation would provide for the first time for a centralised online system of registration of all shipping craft, including small pleasure boats, jet skis and small fishing boats. We heard also the very worrying statistics for maritime accidents and the need to improve maritime safety measures. Clearly, central registration will greatly assist enforcement and in the prevention of accidents. What was of great concern was that at the end of the debate the Minister said it might take a couple of years to roll out the new registration system, even when the legislation was in place. We should urge him to take all possible steps to ensure the system of registration is introduced more swiftly. In this House we can ensure the legislation goes through quickly, given that it was welcomed by all parties. It is very important legislation, but it is a matter of concern that the Minister said it could be a couple of years before the system was in place to enable the legislation to be fully implemented.