Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I applaud and compliment Senator Feargal Quinn for bringing forward this important legislation and generating debate. The debate is overdue. On many occasions in this House, Senator Quinn has been ahead of the Government in bringing forward relevant legislation.

I extend my sympathy and that of the House to the family of the late Celine Cawley, whose death struck a chord with all of us. It is only right and proper that the Government would introduce legislation to ensure that, in the future, no perpetrator of a murder or manslaughter will be able to benefit financially as a result of that crime. I am encouraged and heartened by the response that the Minister of State made in the House this evening. While he has indicated there are constitutional difficulties with the legislation as brought forward by Senator Quinn, it is the Government's intention to bring forward in the very near future, in the coming months, a comprehensive suite of legislation that will address the issue Senator Quinn wishes to have addressed through his Bill. The Senator has certainly brought much clarity to the debate and conversation. I have no doubt that the Minister of State, by liaising closely with the Senator, will ensure legislation of the kind the latter wishes to have enacted will cover all the eventualities he mentioned.I urge the Minister to ensure that the commitments and timelines he indicated to the House will be honoured, and that the priority this legislation requires will be given to it. No family should have to endure the trauma that the family in this case has endured, to see somebody who has been responsible from the death of a loved one benefit financially from that crime. It is one of many families throughout the country who, on far too many occasions in the course of a year, have had to deal with the same crisis and the same awful crime. We want to ensure that this loophole is closed before this Government leaves office and that there will never again be a situation where a family will have to expend significant amounts of money in the courts to try to have a wrong put right. The only way it can be done is through legislation, and both this House and the Dáil have the power to do that.

I thank Senator Quinn and congratulate him on this fine legislative measure. Even if it needs improvement or adjustments here and there, I ask the Minister to ensure it will be part of the comprehensive suite of legislation to cover all of these issues, including those mentioned by Senator Mulcahy earlier. I hope all of that significant legislation will be enacted during the term of this Government.