Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will start by thanking the Chair and the Leader of the House for their support over the last term. I thank the staff of the Seanad for their ability to work with this House in such a wonderful way.

This afternoon, we heard significant debate on whether or not we should have the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, brought before the House to discuss issues of law and order and the justice system itself. A debate of that nature might be appropriate if we take into consideration where we are in making sure that certain parts of the State when it comes to the Judiciary, get through the Houses of the Oireachtas. I speak of the Special Criminal Court which is a really important tool. It has been passed in both the Houses of the Oireachtas and passed in this House at the end of June. It is a significant tool that needs to be supported.

As we are all here to support An Garda Síochána and the Minister, it was unfortunate that certain elements of the Oireachtas voted against that. It should be acknowledged that elements of Independent Ireland and People Before Profit voted against that issue. We need to have political debate on whether you are for or against this Special Criminal Court or totally opposed to it. I was shocked to think that two parties decided to vote against such important legislation. A debate with the Minister in this House is important. We need to flesh out the views of Michael Collins's part in Independent Ireland on the issues of why he has a problem with the Special Criminal Court. The court has done so much to ensure that we have a safe society.

We need to take into consideration why it was set up in the first place. It was to prevent the State from falling into rack and ruin regarding issues related to Northern Ireland, gangland murders and everything else, yet they still vote against this proposal. A debate in this House about those issues is important because we need to flush out the people who are speaking from both sides of their mouth when it comes to law and order. You are either in favour of it or you are not. You are either supporting the Garda Síochána and judges or you are not. It is quite obvious that Independent Ireland and Michael Collins is not supporting them.