Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is my intention to take the Bill on Seanad reform next week when there will be an opportunity to have this issue form part of that discussion. I know that the Minister, Deputy Simon Coveney, is working on the very serious issue of the terms and conditions and role of local authority members. He is putting a plan in place, with a package of measures. In fairness to him, he has had to deal with the issues of waste and water services and now has to deal with the housing strategy which we all agree is the most important issue in performing our role as public representatives. The Minister is working on it and is very serious about dealing with it. The proposal by Senator Ardagh in regard to the Minister for Justice and Equality is very important, not least because there is the loss of human life and the threat to human life. To hear this morning of another serious incident in which a person was critically injured concerns us all. The Minister was in the House this afternoon for the Commencement debate regarding the issue of Console, which was raised by Senator Marie-Louise O'Donnell, and she will be in the House again later today to deal with legislation on the Criminal Assets Bureau and the proceeds of crime. I again make the point that the safety of residents, whether they are in north Dublin, south Dublin or in any other part of our country, is important.

The Minister will not come to the House on this issue today, for obvious reasons. I ask the Senator to withdraw her amendment to the Order of Business and I will work with her to ensure the Minister comes to the House to deal with the specific issue of gangland crime. It is an issue we need to address, as a country. However, let us put this in context. An additional €55 million is being given to the Garda this year-----