Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. The Minister of State is very welcome. Ar dtús báire ba mhaith liom an Seanadóir Ó Céidigh a mholadh as an mBille seo a leagadh os ár gcomhair. Beidh sí á plé ag Seanadóirí anocht. Mar atá ráite cheana, is píosa reachtaíocht tábhachtach í agus beidh lucht Sinn Féin ag tacú léi sa Seanad anocht.

I welcome the Bill and I commend its proposers. My understanding of the intention behind the Bill is that it is to consolidate and simplify the law relating to perjury and related offences. It is also my understanding that, as has been outlined by the proposer and seconder, the Bill seeks to update penalties in cases where someone is found to have committed perjury or to have perjured themselves.

The Bill, introduced by Senator Pádraig Ó Céidigh last week with the support of Senators Marshall, Boyhan and McDowell, provides for prison sentences of up to seven years for perjurers. This is a significant sentence for someone who is actively working to deceive or misrepresent evidence before a court of law. I hope that it could act as an effective deterrent. It is not unusual – I realise that sounds like a song – in court cases in both the civil and criminal courts for the judge in summing up to dismiss a person's evidence as lacking credibility. In some cases judges go as far as to state that the witness, who may be a garda witness, lied under oath. Sometimes, a judge will add a recommendation that the matter be referred to the DPP. More often than not, it is fair to say, that is usually the last we hear of the matter.

I will not prolong tonight's debate necessarily. There seems to be an emerging consensus around the sentiment and intent behind the Bill as well as for what it mechanically and legislatively seeks to do.