Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I would like a debate on the Guerin report, which has been published since we last sat on Thursday and which many of us have had an opportunity to read in recent days. It sets out a litany of errors, negligence and incompetence, which were exposed by the allegations of Sergeant Maurice McCabe, as reviewed by senior counsel, Sean Guerin. Chapter 19 makes particularly concerning reading, as it refers to what can only be described as the dysfunctional workings of the Department of Justice and Equality and errors and oversights in its investigation of the allegations of Sergeant McCabe. I would like a debate on this as soon as possible.

I am conscious that we on the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality have called in the Secretary General of the Department to appear on Thursday morning and I understand we are awaiting a response from him. All the committee members have agreed it would be appropriate to call him in to talk to him, in particular, about the findings of Sean Guerin in chapter 19 of the report. We on the committee also have hearings tomorrow on mechanisms for Garda oversight, which are very important but, notwithstanding that we are in the process of dealing with these other matters at the justice committee, it would be appropriate to have a broad ranging debate on the Guerin report in the House because it raises serious questions about the system and culture of policing throughout the State and not just in Bailieborough.

I welcome the debate later on the motion we all agreed unanimously should be put to the House calling on the Government to offer all available assistance and support to the Nigerian Government in its attempts to secure the immediate release of the schoolchildren abducted by Boko Haram. I thank the Leader for that.

The Cabinet earlier approved a new law to support the right of workers to participate in collective bargaining, which I welcome. This was a commitment in the programme for Government. The trade union movement, in particular, has been seeking this for a long time and it has also been Labour Party policy for a long time. The legislation is very important, as it will provide protection against victimisation for workers who seek to exercise their rights and it will provide much greater clarity for both workers and employers about what constitutes collective bargaining and the role of the Labour Court in collective bargaining. It will also provide greater clarity as to the requirements to be met by a trade union advancing a claim under the Industrial Relations Acts. It is important legislation, which is very much overdue as a result of various Supreme Court decisions on collective bargaining. I very much welcome the fact that amendments to industrial relations legislation will be brought forward by the Government and I look forward to the debate in this House on that.