Malcolm Byrne
Wicklow-Wexford · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“I appreciate the Minister of State is responding on behalf of the Minister but the response provides nothing new. It is almost a carbon copy of the response I received when I raised this issue in January last.”
“Free and fair trade right throughout history is the greatest example of providing people with employment opportunities and lifting people out of poverty. One of the best examples of this is our being able to trade with Canada.”
“I am sure the Ceann Comhairle will remember being approached by the then principal, staff and others. Pressure has been applied. When capital decisions were being made by the Department of education I asked why this school was not included and what criteria were used.”
“To say that the school, and indeed, the wider area are deeply frustrated by the lack of progress is an understatement. This is an excellent school, but when it comes to its physical infrastructure, the school is in dire straits.”
“As we are moving towards the recess, I thank the Ceann Comhairle, and indeed, the officials in her office and all of the staff across the House for all of their work during the year that has made this place run so smoothly. I wish to raise the question of Bunclody Community College. I have had to do it on a number of occasions.”
“I am conscious the Minister of State referred to additional capital investment in 2027. I fully expect and will continue to campaign to ensure this school is included in the 2027 capital list because it deserved to be addressed before now.”
The complete record
Every one of 711 lines we hold for Malcolm Byrne, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 4 of 15.
“I welcome the Bill. I have raised the issue with the Minister of State on a number of occasions. I was in Arklow this morning. I met with the student councils of three second level school: Arklow CBS, Glenart College and St. Mary's. I allowed the students to ask any questions they wanted to ask. One of the early questions that was asked was what the Government was doing to protect young people against tobacco and vaping credits. This is not the first time I have been asked this by a young person. Young people have been asking about this for a number of years because they can see it among their peer groups. They can see how they are being targeted and exploited, in many cases by the big tobacco companies of the past, which have taken over the nicotine inhaling device companies.”
“A critical part of that for Ireland will be the Common Agricultural Policy. It is not just critical that we look at maintaining farm incomes now, but we have to look at it in the context of an enlarged European Union. I am particularly thinking that as we move towards Ukraine's membership over the next decade, we have to ensure that the MFF and CAP take into account the potential for Ukrainian membership. I would like to know if that formed part of the consideration.”
“Welcome changes are happening in Hungary, and the EU's release of funds to Hungary is positive. We need to continue to show our solidarity with Hungary at this time of great change. In the same way, that is obviously related to the importance of showing our solidarity with Ukraine. I have two related questions. First, we need to spell out more clearly why we are continuing to support Ukraine, and why there is the risk that if Ukraine falls to Russia, there is a huge threat to peace in Europe, but there is also the economic threat that brings. We need to counter some of the false narratives that are currently being articulated as to why we are showing that solidarity. Second, and related to that, the negotiations will be happening around the multi-annual financial framework.”
“As an interim solution, the modular solution is what may be necessary and the creation of the school was done at breakneck speed, for which I really praised the Department. It was what it needed to do. I am concerned, given the projected growth in population plus the demand within the area, that in the long term this modular extension is potentially seen as the long-term solution. We in north Wexford have been told many times that when we get a new school, that is the last school the area will get and yet, the population continues to grow and we eventually get an additional school. The Department needs to go back to the drawing board and have a long-term plan to ensure that we have a greenfield site for the building of a new special school in the area.”
“I would encourage that there should be consultation with the parents who are concerned about that but, as I said, they are incredibly supportive of the school in the long run. This is in an extremely busy area of the school. We have a second level school, Creagh College, with 1,000 pupils in the area, as well as not just the Gaelscoil but two other primary schools, all within a couple of hundred metres of this site. It is already an extremely busy educational campus. There are obviously concerns that if we are looking at expanding educational facilities on the same site, some of that will have a knock-on impact. I certainly support and want to see the development of the school.”
“I thank the Minister of State. I appreciate that he is taking this on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, who has indeed visited Gorey Hill School. There is an acknowledgment in here that the school is already at capacity and that there is greater demand. The concern I have in regard to the answer that has been provided is whether regard has been had to the potential impact the proposed modular construction will have on the play area, car parking and ancillary services that exist on the site already, and if there has been a sufficient level of consultation around this. Everyone wants to see the school grow, but this should not be at the expense of either the Gaelscoil or the naíonra.”
“It is important right now, in the immediate term, that we spell out exactly what is going to happen to ensure there is sufficient provision within the immediate community.”
“More importantly, the intention in respect of this provision was that it was to be an interim measure. The long-term goal was to have a specially built, fully functioning new special school on a greenfield site. The reason we know this - the Minister of State knows it as well - is that north Wexford and south Wicklow is one of the fastest growing areas in the country. There is a huge demand for special education. We already know, and I know from talking to primary school teachers and parents, about the demands for places within this school. Our long-term goal is that we get the commitment that was made - a very clear commitment and timeframe for the building of a school for those with complex learning needs.”
“There is a concern, and rightfully so, among some of the parents in regard to the Gaelscoil and the naíonra and the potential impact it may have on play areas if a modular building is put in place, thereby limiting the number of play areas and parking spaces within the facility. There is strong support for the school, but consideration has to be given to the impact on the existing Gaelscoil and naíonra. What guarantees are in place in the context of additional places? For those who want to have places in the school from this September, if the modular building is proceeding, has there been consultation with the parents, the naíonra and others who are going to be impacted if it goes ahead? Will the building require planning permission? What is the timeline in that regard?”
“There is also on the site a very successful naíonra, a preschool provision, operating through the Irish language. This school is extraordinarily well run. I pay tribute to all the staff there. It is among the first schools that are going to be rolling out the new educational therapy services. However, we are already we are into a situation where this new school is full. The school has to inform parents and others as to how many places will be available. For the 2026-27 school year, there are no new places for admission into the school and that is because the school is already full. There is a proposal to expand the school. There is a modular development being set out.”
“I want to raise the case of Gorey Hill school in Gorey, County Wexford. This is a school for learners with complex learning needs aged between four and 18. It was officially opened only at the beginning of 2025, although it had been in operation from late 2024. Part of the reason the school was opened was that there was so much pressure on St. Patrick's Special School in Enniscorthy that there was a need for additional places in counties Wexford and Wicklow for young people with complex learning needs. In fairness, through co-operation between the Gaelscoil, An Foras Pátrúnachta, the patron body, Waterford Wexford Education and Training Board and the Department, this school was very quickly able to get off the ground using a number of areas within the Gaelscoil that were not in use.”
“EirGrid is doing it on behalf of the State. I appreciate that the Minister of State will send me on the answer, but people are entitled to know if it will be finished in 2028, at the postponed date, as was originally committed.”
“I am sorry but I have a problem with that. Yes, there is a reason EirGrid, in terms of operational activity, is independent, but EirGrid is responsible to the State. Deputy Dooley is a Minister of State responsible for energy with regard to a critical piece of infrastructure. We should know in this House about progress on this critical piece of infrastructure. I say respectfully that it is not good enough to say that EirGrid will tell us when it will have this critical piece of infrastructure finished. It is not for the benefit of EirGrid; it is for the benefit of every citizen, every business, every home in this State in order that we can have reliability of energy into the future. We should know and we are entitled to know in this House about progress on major infrastructural projects such as this.”
“It is critical that the commitment that was made that it would be in 2028 will actually be delivered, and the House is entitled to hear that.”
“I am rather concerned. This has been described by EirGrid and others as the biggest infrastructure project this decade, which it is. The timeframe has already slipped, with commissioning meant to happen in 2026 but now happening in 2028. I am kind of concerned that the Minister of State says that he does not know on the floor of the Dáil and that he will have to get EirGrid to let us know. This is a critical piece of infrastructure for the State, as he says. It is important that we know the timeframe as to when it will come on because one of our concerns in terms of energy demand for the State is about having the infrastructure in place. I am concerned, as the Minister knows, that we have been pushing out some of the deadlines with regard to some of our targets on offshore renewables to 2031 or 2032.”
“I accept this is not something that is going to happen immediately, but when we are looking at Ireland's future energy needs going to 2040 and 2050, this green technology, which it is, has to be part of the discussion.”
“Our transition to renewables is critical. The Minister of State knows that I strongly support all of the investment that we are seeing in wind and solar, and I want it to happen much more quickly. The question is around future capacity, when we are looking to 2040 and beyond, and whether enough will be generated even at that stage by renewables. Given what we have seen with the types of models we are talking about, I specifically asked about small modular nuclear reactors with regard to being able to fuel our future digital infrastructure, for instance, data centres, in the context of this being a digital economy. I believe it is something that needs to be considered.”
“The reality is that we are already using nuclear energy in this country, as the Minister of State knows, because we have to import through the interconnector. The level of that import has grown in the past few years from 10% of our energy in 2023, to 15% in 2024, and to 17% in 2025. Of what we are taking already, a lot of the energy is provided through nuclear energy. I know the Minister of State is a strong supporter of the Celtic interconnector with France, and we know the majority of energy that is produced in France is produced through nuclear energy. I do not believe we are going to see an overnight change. This is not something that is going to happen immediately but to completely rule out a discussion on using this form of energy is wrong. As part of the long-term strategy for the State, it is something we have to consider.”
“That is about investing in community, sports and cultural facilities, and providing soccer pitches is critically important. I look forward to working with the Minister of State on the next round of sports capital grants, which will be announced in the coming months, and, in particular, on supporting the clubs that are doing so much to build our communities and grassroots football.”
“I look at Arklow Town FC, founded in 1948, which is the backbone of Arklow and supported by people within the community. There is also St. Joseph's in Kilmuckridge, which is a huge club in a rural and strong GAA area. Yet, this is a club with over 500 members that works closely with Coláiste an Átha, the secondary school in Kilmuckridge. There is Tombrack United in a really small community, but everybody is involved because in many of our communities they are not just involved in the soccer clubs or the local school. They are involved in every aspect of what happens. Soccer clubs are not just for playing football. It is about how they contribute toward community life. What we have to be about as a Government and as a society is not just building housing, which we really need, we must also communities.”
“I echo the comments about how it is often difficult to get access to land in fast-growing areas and urban centres. There must be regard for fast-growing communities and the pressure they are under. I represent one of the fastest growing constituencies in the country. I look at Gorey Rangers, which my dad was involved in founding in 1962 and which is attracting so many young people who are coming into the town and playing on the schoolboys’ and schoolgirls’ teams. They need the support to be able to develop more pitches. It is similar with Gorey Celtic. There is also Courtown Hibs. Courtown Riverchapel is now the fifth largest urban settlement in County Wexford. Courtown Hibs is by far the largest sporting club in that community. It is incredibly inclusive, particularly in what it is doing for those with disabilities.”
“I welcome this debate on support for football throughout the country. I welcome the Minister of State's commitment to invest in football. I also welcome the investment in academies that was announced for this year. We have seen new leadership within the FAI. The vision those people have for our national teams, the League of Ireland and grassroots football is critical. As others have said, the investment we will see as part of the next round of the sports capital fund is very important in that regard. Clubs that work in partnership with other clubs and local authorities and that are the backbone of the communities we all live in must receive support. I know this from speaking to people from many of the clubs I meet with regularly in my community.”
“They can contribute in an enormous way. Is it possible for us to look, having done the extension from 60 to 62 in 2024,-----”
“I am sure the Taoiseach agrees with me that the men and women of our fire services, defence services and the Garda provide vital services to the State and to all our communities. In a welcome move two years ago, the retirement age for people in those services was increased from 60 to 62 years. I know from responses to parliamentary questions that 122 personnel in the Defence Forces and 112 gardaí have since remained in the force beyond the age of 60. Can we look at extending this further? It is a particular issue. I could not get the figures for the fire service, but this is being asked for in the fire service. If someone wants to work and can pass the tests that are required for their fitness to work, they should be able to continue to work. There is incredible institutional memory among these people.”
“That is happening at Government level, but it has to be a top priority that we start to see offshore wind being developed to a far greater extent. This is one of the concerns. People are not afraid of contributing to the State if they can see their money is being spent well, but I worry that we are seeing a situation where public expenditure is getting out of control in many cases and people are not seeing sufficient return on their investment. We are fortunate the economy is so strong that we are able to deliver this package, which cannot be done anywhere else in Europe, but we may not always have that luxury.”
“The Tánaiste will know many of them. An estimated 6,500 people commute from my constituency to work and college every day. Not alone did they not see sufficient benefits - there were some in the budget, but they were not sufficient - but once fuel prices increased, it became a significant problem for them. What we have to do in the context of the coming budget, and in prioritising resources, is to look after those who work hard and contribute to the community as well as to protect the vulnerable with our disability strategy and looking after older people. It also requires, from an energy security point of view as well as an environmental one, that we move much more quickly on our investment in renewables. It is absolutely essential for wind and solar energy and indeed that we see the clearing house.”
“This is a global energy crisis we are facing and we need to see it in those terms. Showing solidarity to those who are victims of war right now is a good thing. While I support these measures, the challenge has been that many of those who are out on the protest - and I know a lot of them - are hard-working and decent people and this was seen in many ways as being the last straw. I genuinely feel that in the last budget we did not do enough for workers. We did not index link the tax bands, though that is something we should always do. We should always make work pay. It is of concern to me when I hear employers talking about the fact that people are reluctant to work more than 19 hours because they will lose certain benefits. The challenge we saw is because a lot of workers, particularly in my constituency, commute.”
“We need to fund that investment in retrofitting and the move to green energy so it is critical, therefore, that we maintain the carbon tax to be able to fund that. That may be an unpopular thing to say but we are going to continue to experience some of these shocks. We have seen it following Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine and we are seeing it in terms of what in happening at present in west Asia. Once we see any of these disruptions, those difficulties are going to be faced here in Ireland so we have to stand strong and explain exactly where the carbon tax is being spent. That said, the short-term measures that have been taken are the correct measures to provide support - people are hurting - but I do ask that additional consideration be given to those engaged in agriculture and the school community.”
“We need to move as quickly as possible on the private wires Bill, which colleagues have mentioned. We have to have a step change in our investment in renewables. At Cabinet level, there is the clearing house for offshore energy. However, we have to talk about what we are doing with regard to onshore wind and solar and how we can make sure we have a more transparent but expedited planning process in that regard. Of course, we need to fund it. It is incredibly dishonest on the part of those who claim that they are in support of renewable energy while at the same time, they want to get rid of the carbon tax. There are climate-sceptic parties in this House. They are entitled to hold that particular view but we know that climate change is real and that we need to address the challenge.”
“If there is an old school building dating from the early years of the last century or even beforehand, often the costs of heating that are significantly more than is the case for some of the modern and well-insulated buildings, yet we continue to pay the same levels of capitation. A review on the capitation side is needed. In the long run, we need to look at investing in renewables. We are still too reliant on imported fossil fuels in this country. Even in the case of energy coming into the country, far too much of it is imported. Last year, 17% of the energy used in Ireland came through the interconnectors. It was imported energy. That was up from 15% the previous year and up from 10% the year before that. I am very conscious of the multibillion euro investment in the grid, which is really needed.”
“I certainly welcome the measures that have been brought forward, which are quite comprehensive and are targeted at the most vulnerable. I wish to highlight two issues that have been raised by others. One is the case of those who are involved in agriculture. Given the costs our farmers are facing, particularly with regard to fuel and the increasing cost of fertiliser, we need to find a package somewhat similar to that which we rightly found for those in the haulage sector and, indeed, in coach travel. The other area related to heating that is an issue of concern is regarding schools. One of our challenges is that we pay the same level of capitation to all schools, but depending on the quality of the school building, the cost of heating it can be far more significant.”
“I welcome the fact that Ireland will continue to contribute in whatever way we can to addressing Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine. We need to co-operate in a number of specific areas. One such area I want to instance is cybersecurity. Like many other European countries, Ireland is regularly on the receiving end of cyberattacks emanating from Russia. At our meeting of the Committee on Artificial Intelligence today, the Courts Service highlighted the fact that Russia is the source of many of the cyberattacks on that service. I also want to know how we are going to continue to address the problem of the shadow fleet operating in Irish waters. I refer both to Russian sanction-busting with regard to oil and to Russian submarines and naval vessels operating in those waters.”
“There are other issues that we need to address around media and digital literacy and the challenges we are facing with regard to online platforms, misinformation and disinformation but that is not the focus of this Bill. This legislation is deserving of support and I am very happy that it has been brought before the House.”
“If we want to ensure media plurality, it cannot just be about the direct investment that is being made. That level of public funding, which I fully support because public service broadcasting is a public good, should be open to competition. Other entities should be able to apply for some of that funding in the same way as, for instance, they can apply to the sound and vision fund operated by Coimisiún na Meán. If we are to guarantee media plurality, we cannot have a situation whereby one broadcaster is, in effect, very heavily subsidised by the State but there is no access for others to public resources. Other than that, the provisions within the Bill are welcome. It is part of the broader framework that we need to ensure that we continue to have media independence and plurality here in Ireland.”
“On advertising by public bodies, the measures contained in the legislation are welcome. When he was Minister for the Gaeltacht, the Minister, Deputy Jack Chambers, brought in a requirement that a lot more advertising would be done trí Ghaelige. At least 20% of advertising is now in Irish on all sorts of issues. It is welcome that when we tune in to radio or TV we hear a lot more Irish. The transparency framework the Minister of State spoke about is important. I welcome the fact that we have provided support of €750 million over three years to RTÉ in order to allow the broadcaster to continue. I am supportive of that because it is critical but the problem is that it could have a distorting effect on the broader market. There is no access for the likes of Virgin Media Television or local and community radio to that funding.”
“While the legislation would prevent a similar situation happening here of a wealthy individual or online platform trying to buy what we might call one of our traditional media, a newspaper or whatever - there are restrictions already in Irish law which are further enhanced by this Bill - as we move into the digital world, there is no real restriction on, say, a wealthy individual setting up an online political news platform, or whatever, and pumping money into that. I raised this with the Standards in Public Office Commission, which accepted my argument. While somebody like Jeff Bezos could not necessarily come in here and buy The Irish Times, Irish Independent or whatever, there is no barrier to an international or domestic Jeff Bezos setting up an online news platform and pump what I would see as political donations into that space.”
“This is a concern which is flagged occasionally here when we see mergers and so on but we have to avoid the situation we have seen in the United States, for instance, where Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, decided to buy The Washington Post, once one of the greatest newspapers in the world but now only a shell of its former self and the editorial independence, which we would expect in this country of a national newspaper, no longer exists. There is a slight loophole.”
“As the Minister of State said, while the Bill does not deal with every aspect of EMFA, it focuses primarily on media plurality and advertising by public bodies. I welcome the powers that are being transferred to Coimisiún na Meán which will mean that as an independent regulator there will be no perception of political interference in some of this area. I have been quite impressed to date by Coimisiún na Meán’s operations. It is critical that it is properly resourced. We need to look at some of the powers in specific areas but as a relatively new regulator, it has done well. The Minister of State made the point about the turnover threshold and that is particularly important. We need to address those challenges around media ownership.”
“"Inside Ireland’s Nursing Homes", which was broadcast last June, with Lucy Kennedy and Aoife Hegarty, exposed what had been going on inside some of our nursing homes which demanded a response. Joe Galvin’s "Forced Fashion" looked at how cotton from labour camps in Xinjiang was finding its way onto Irish shelves. That sort of quality investigative journalism, free from political interference, is critical. RTÉ current affairs should not think it can be above criticism. For instance, I regularly criticise the imbalance of many of the programmes on RTÉ which give disproportionate coverage to smaller and fringe political parties and, indeed, to smaller and fringe views. However, for the most part, we are fortunate that we have a very pluralistic media that is open to express a wide range of views.”
“On the Government’s commitment in the broad area to ensure a free and fair media, the reforming of the defamation laws to allow for fair comment is very welcome. Addressing the problem of SLAPP, strategic lawsuits against public participation, is also something that is very important. We should never see a situation where politicians or those in positions of power use the legal system to try to inhibit good and fair journalists from doing their job. That is not to say that media should be above criticism but a healthy debate is one where journalists challenge us, as politicians, and we equally challenge the media around news stories. In that sense, it is worth praising, for instance, some of the investigative journalism by RTÉ where it did speak truth to power in recent times which had an impact in here.”
“We are very fortunate to have a good and diverse range of views in our print media at local and national levels. They do a very good job generally and are an essential part of our democracy, particularly if we talk about local media. Their important role in reporting on local news, local council meetings and what goes on in our communities is something we take for granted. We can contrast that with some of the news deserts that exist in many other parts of the world. Part of the problem with the polarisation of politics in the United States is that they have lost a lot of the local and even state-based news media that used to exist. The setting up by the previous media Minister, Catherine Martin, of the local democracy fund to support that reporting was critical.”
“It is vital that journalists can always speak truth to power, that they are free from political pressure, that we have transparency in terms of media ownership and we have a plurality of views particularly, as Deputy O’Donoghue just mentioned, in the battle against misinformation and disinformation in the modern age and in the age of artificial intelligence. That is critical. The role of the Irish media in that space is commendable. It is healthy that we debate media in this country and that it is allowed to happen. For the most part, we are incredibly lucky that we have quality broadcasters, whether we are talking about RTÉ, TG4, Virgin Media or local and community radio or television, and also when it comes to the print media.”
“The Minister of State articulated very well the purposes of this Bill particularly in implementing elements of the European Media Freedom Act. It is important to note that Ireland has always performed well on press freedom indices. Reporters Without Borders, RSF, which is journalists making their own assessment, has placed Ireland’s ranking over the past number of years as "good", which is the top placing, when it comes to media freedom. It is worth noting Ireland is one of only six countries, along with Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Denmark and the Netherlands, that have been consistently rated as good by RSF. In the past Freedom House used to conduct the world press freedom index which, again, always found that Ireland had a very good reputation when it came to press freedom. This is critical to any democracy.”
“To provide confidence to all of the organisations that have been waiting for so long, we need to know very clearly when the legislation will be introduced and that the public will know that, from the first of a certain month or on a specific date, this simple process will be in place. I do not have confidence in a system that was meant to deliver a more efficient vetting system when it has taken five years for it to come up with what is a repetition of most of the things we have been hearing for the past half decade.”
“If it does require amending legislation, when will that be introduced in the House? In other words, when we are talking to people, including those in the Federation of Irish Sport - I am glad the Department is engaging with that organisation - we can say that somebody who is involved in a sporting organisation, who may be a childcare worker, primary schoolteacher or whatever else, would have one simple vetting mechanism. Is there going to be a tender for the technical system that is to be introduced? What is envisaged? Where is the tech oversight in the delivery of that?”
“I thank the Minister of State very much. With all due respect, I do not think we needed a review group to operate for five years to tell us that. It is something I think we all knew. We needed a more efficient system. The Federation of Irish Sport, charities and community organisations have been saying for a long time that there should be a very simple vetting process. Anybody who is working with children or vulnerable adults should have to go through one vetting process based on the assessments of risk. They should just have to go through one vetting process based on the assessment of risk. It has taken us five years to establish something that we already know. The key question here in terms of what is being proposed is when we will see the introduction of the general requirement on vetting being renewed every three years.”
“It also stated that we would need to have an updated technology system. A working group that was charged with delivering a more efficient and effective system was not particularly effective or efficient in its own operation. The Minister of State might tell us who chairs or chaired that review group? Why is it taking so long to report? Will the Government publish the update or recommendations or whatever is on the Minister's desk? When will the public actually see real change to resolve a lot of the issues with which the Minister of State, I and everyone in these House is very familiar?”
“On 18 June 2025, in a parliamentary question to the Minister for justice, Deputy O'Callaghan, I was told that the work was nearing completion at that stage. On 17 September - I waited a few months - I was then told in a response to a parliamentary question by the Minister for justice that the group had not agreed a formal report but had provided an update, which had been submitted to the Minister, and that the Department would now be working on the recommendations arising from that. I thought we would hear some progress. I submitted another parliamentary question and got a response on 4 February this year in which I was told that the Department was now looking at some of the issues from the Garda vetting review group, there would be some key changes and legislation would need to be amended.”
“The Departments of justice, health, children, the Taoiseach and public expenditure, An Garda Síochána, the HSE, the Public Appointments Service and Tusla were all involved. Even though its task was related o efficiency, it did not report within six months and, following the initial delay, it was due to report in quarter 2 of 2022. As the Minister of State knows, I was a Senator in the term of the previous Oireachtas. I raised a Commencement matter on this issue on 7 February 2024 when I was told by the then Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Deputy Browne, that the review was very quickly coming to a conclusion and its report would provide recommendations for implementation. That was on 7 February 2024. We did not see much progress then and the general election happened.”
“Someone working for one contractor with a contract with Bus Éireann to drive a school bus who then changes to drive another school bus with a different contractor is required to get Garda vetting yet again. We are all very aware of the problems with the system. This has been an ongoing issue for quite a period. A welcome decision was made on 26 April 2021 to set up a review group. It was announced by the then Minister for Justice, Deputy Helen McEntee. She said the purpose of the review was to provide a more robust, efficient and effective system and that she anticipated the work of the group would take approximately six months. That was in April 2021. All of the relevant Departments and agencies were appointed.”