Mark Wall (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I, too, welcome the Minister of State to the House to deal with this important emergency legislation. As he says, the purpose of the Bill is to amend section 8 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005. As it did in the Lower House yesterday, the Labour Party welcomes this legislation and will be supporting it. There was, however, a worry articulated in the debate yesterday. The Minister of State mentioned it again today. It concerns a letter from the Minister for Justice, Deputy Helen McEntee, to the Ceann Comhairle stating that on 2 June more than 2,131 cases were before the District Court throughout the country. Notwithstanding contingency measures put in place, hundreds of cases had to be adjourned. In one court alone, 130 cases were adjourned, which, of course, caused distress and worry among all those involved.

The court presenter case underpins this legislation, which is to support the processing of the large number of cases coming through our District Court and to allow as many of them to be heard as possible, having regard to Covid restrictions. The cases that have backed up have been added to the already lengthy backlog arising from the Covid disruption. The recent ruling by the High Court necessitated action by the Government. We support that action today.

The recent ruling should concentrate Government minds on how our District Court operates. We have received a number of calls from those working in the system about the lack of judges and how this is causing delays. Given the ruling that has highlighted a practice that has assisted the working of our District Court system over many years but does not have legislative underpinning, the fundamental question arises as to whether there are other practices within the District Court system that could also be struck down. I am sure the Minister, the Department and the Attorney General have regarded the need to rush emergency legislation through the Houses of the Oireachtas as a flag prompting them to carry out a review of all such practices within our District Court system to avoid a recurrence of what is happening today.

I thank all the gardaí who assist us all throughout our communities day in, day out. Their job is not an easy one, as we have all said before in this House. We must carry out and use every opportunity to thank them for the work they do for us. On a personal note, I thank the gardaí in my area, south Kildare, for their assistance with so many queries about matters that I continue to come across in my work as a public representative. As colleagues have done, I call for additional gardaí for south Kildare. It does not come directly under the Minister's remit; however, given the additional work so many gardaí are doing in my part of the country, this debate gives me an opportunity to call for additional resources. All those involved would support that call.

I thank the Minister and Minister of State, both of whom have been present during my speech. That is the first time that has happened. It is great to see.