Niall Collins
Limerick County · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“We believe that EU membership is about being aware of the advantages of membership and making sure these are understood by the public. We want to encourage the Irish public to participate in that national conversation.”
“On behalf of the Minister for Transport, I thank the Deputies for raising these important issues. On 1 April, the Road Traffic Control of Certain Vehicles Regulations 2026, known as Grace's law in memory of Grace Lynch, were signed into law.”
“The Department of Transport is examining the issue of mandating the use of protective equipment for e-scooters and e-bikes along with other road safety-focused measures. Proposals in this regard are under consideration by the Ministers. The Department is also considering the matter of registration for e-scooters.”
“The strategy, A Career for EU, aims to improve Irish participation and success rates in EU recruitment processes for institutions such as the European Commission, the European Parliament and over 50 EU agencies.”
“They already benefit from significant Exchequer-funded rent supports through the housing assistance payment or rental accommodation scheme and, critically, must comply fully with the housing standards for rental houses regulations.”
“The timetable for implementation of all new and enhanced services is subject to funding, operational readiness and capacity. The public transport sector is currently experiencing a significant workforce shortage, particularly among drivers and mechanics.”
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“It is important to reflect not only on the commitments made but also on what has been delivered under the zero-tolerance strategy. The promise of safe accommodation is becoming a reality. The new refuge in Wexford and the refuge in Dublin 4 symbolise that progress. The pipeline of new refuge spaces and safe homes will continue to grow, moving us steadily towards our target of doubling capacity by 2026. To support our children and young people, more than €17 million has been allocated to 60 services that provide court accompaniment and related support services to children and adolescents who are witnesses in criminal trials. The Family Courts Act 2024 represents a significant reform creating family divisions at every court level to ensure families face a system that is tailored, compassionate and fair.”
“This represents an increase of €11.5 million year on year. My Department is also examining proposals to develop a policy on removal orders to take offenders out of the home in high-risk cases, subject to legal considerations. Through these combined efforts the Minister and our Department are delivering real progress. The clear message is that domestic, sexual and gender-based violence will not be tolerated.”
“By the end of 2026, it is envisaged to have 94 safe homes and 193 refuge units completed, bringing total safe accommodation to 287, with 50 further refuge units under construction. As part of this expansion, this week, the Minister had the privilege of opening a new nine-unit refuge in Dublin 4, a facility that will provide safe and secure accommodation for survivors at a critical time in their lives. In June, he launched the final implementation plan for the strategy, which focuses on expanding refuge accommodation and developing a comprehensive national emergency domestic violence accommodation plan. Earlier this week, the Minister secured a funding increase to almost €80 million under budget 2026 to support Cuan and services working to tackle domestic, sexual and gender-based violence and the implementation of the strategy.”
“Delivery schedules were mapped to ensure progress and new capacity had been delivered, including a 12-unit refuge in Wexford. At the request of the Minister, Deputy O’Callaghan, Cuan undertook a review in early 2025 and worked with services and partners to assess and review progress and identify a series of actions to accelerate delivery. Following that review, completed in spring 2025, and in line with the commitment given by the Minister, the following targets will be delivered by the end of 2026: 52 new family refuge units; 45 new safe homes; and 50 new units under construction. In 2022, at the start of the zero-tolerance strategy, there were 49 safe homes in place.”
“I thank Senator Stephenson for raising this matter. I am replying on behalf of the Minister, Deputy O’Callaghan. I welcome the opportunity to update the House on the implementation of the zero-tolerance strategy and to reaffirm the Government’s commitment to supporting and protecting victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Since January 2024, Cuan has been leading the co-ordination of Government actions under the strategy. A central commitment is to double domestic violence accommodation capacity in Ireland by the end of 2026. Cuan is working closely with domestic violence services, approved housing bodies, local authorities, the Department of housing and the Housing Agency to achieve this. By the end of 2024, 14 of 18 priority locations had identified suitable sites.”
“They do not provide as much for local authority members but drawing on my experience in Limerick, there is no reason that across the country, local municipal or metropolitan areas cannot interact with An Garda Síochána on their agenda in the same way they meet any other group in the public service.”
“She is doing a fantastic job in that role along with Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman. Given the experience of the joint policing committees - I sat on the Limerick joint policing committee, which was a fantastic forum - I regret that Oireachtas Members will not be sitting on the LCSPs but that does not mean that as public representatives, we cannot interact with An Garda Síochána. We interact and will continue to do so. That is our job as public representatives. The new safety partnerships provide for a broader reach and inclusion of stakeholders, which is not a bad thing.”
“I join the Senator in acknowledging the appointment of Superintendent Michael Corbett as An Garda Síochána's first rural crime lead. I spoke to him recently at the National Ploughing Championships when we launched our new rural safety strategy. I sit on the national rural safety forum and have attended its meetings. It is fantastic in respect of our approach to ensuring our communities are as safe as possible and reassuring people, particularly in rural Ireland, that our communities are being policed and that we are doing our utmost to ensure people feel safe in their homes and communities. Superintendent Corbett is a fantastic choice by the Garda Commissioner. I note the comments of the deputy president of the IFA, Alice Doyle, who co-chairs the national rural safety forum.”
“We only draw on our experience from our own area, but I know that local members of An Garda Síochána have been attending local municipal area meetings individually outside the function of the safety partnerships.”
“Guidance and support in the process of establishing LCSPs is being given by the National Office for Community Safety and by LCSP co-ordinators and administrators, who are full-time staff based in the relevant local authority and resourced by the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration. These full-time permanent staff posts are resourced by the Department and employed by the relevant local authority. In preparation for the establishment of the partnerships, local authorities have been recruiting these staff and so far, 27 co-ordinators and 20 administrators have been appointed across the country. The appointment of members to further safety partnerships across the country will follow in the coming weeks.”
“The Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, which the Minister commenced on 2 April 2025, provides for the establishment of local community safety partnerships, which will operate at each local authority level. The regulations for these safety partnerships came into operation on Monday, 30 June and a total of 36 LCSPs can now be established. Each safety partnership will be led by a voluntary chair and supported by a full-time co-ordinator and administrator. The chair will be elected from, and by, the membership of the partnership. The role of chairperson is pivotal to the partnerships achieving their full potential.”
“The first meeting of an LCSP took place in Wexford on 30 September, when members elected their own chair and vice chair. It is anticipated that the other partnerships will hold their first meetings in the coming weeks. I will get the Senator clear guidance on the election or appointment of the chairpersons but I know that local authorities did ask for expressions of interest, at least in Limerick. I am sure other local authorities put out a call for expressions of interest from people who would be interested in being considered for election as chairperson. The LCSPs are designed to empower communities by giving residents, local groups and businesses a meaningful voice in shaping local safety initiatives. They will play a major role in enhancing public safety alongside An Garda Síochána, residents, businesses and State agencies.”
“I thank the Senator for raising this issue. To create safe communities, we must go beyond policing alone, we must work together in partnership. We must take a strategic, solution-focused approach that is proactive rather than reactive. Local community safety partnerships represent a significant step towards a more collaborative, responsive, and locally driven model of public safety. I am pleased that members have been appointed to eight local community safety partnerships. Further members will be appointed across October and November with a view to establishing all safety partnerships by the end of the year. I know in my own local authority area of Limerick City and County Council, at this month's municipal and metropolitan area meetings they are discussing and populating the LCSP.”
“No, it is not. People are absolutely entitled to protest. Nobody disputes that. The Deputy, though, wants to elevate it and bring it to a place where it actually discredits what they are protesting for, and that is regrettable.”
“-----have an absolutely right go about their business and use the public roads to get on with their business, get home to their families, do their day-to-day activities, get to work, get home, rear their children and bring their kids to their clubs and their sports. The Deputy, though, seems to think that locking down Dublin is acceptable.”
“I have seen the video and I will support every single member of An Garda Síochána who policed that event because they were looking out for the hundreds of thousands of people around this city and region who-----”
“You see, the Deputy tries to own the argument every way. She does not have a monopoly on concern for the Palestinians. I have been to the Middle East. I have been to Palestine and to Ramallah and Hebron. I have walked the streets of East Jerusalem. I have been to the settler communities and seen the impact those have on the people of Palestine. The Deputy does not have a monopoly on concern for the Palestinians. She likes to present that she has a monopoly on it. The protestors do not have a monopoly on it. This Government has done more than any other Government across Europe in terms of trying to highlight and support the cause of the Palestinian people. I wonder if the Deputy thinks that locking down Dublin and reducing it to gridlock and impacting hundreds of thousands of people is acceptable. The Deputy failed to address it.”
“Does she agree with and did she support blocking the Dublin Port tunnel and reducing this city to a mass gridlock? Did she agree with it and does she agree with it?”
“They had no right to do that. They should not do that. They inconvenienced the entire city. I wonder does the Deputy support the idea, the principle or the action of locking down this city by blocking Dublin Port. Does the Deputy think that is right? I certainly do not, and millions of people around the country do not either. I think I have responded in a comprehensive manner to the Deputy regarding the issues she has raised. I support An Garda Síochána and its actions. I have seen the videos in this regard. Protestors have a right to protest, and in this case they were protesting about something that is fundamental, and all of us in this House support trying to sort out the issues in Palestine, but locking down the Dublin Port tunnel does not achieve anything. I would like to hear what the Deputy has to say in this regard.”
“The fundamental principle underpinning this policy is that any action taken which requires a member of An Garda Síochána to use an incapacitant spray must comply with the fundamental principles of legality, necessity, proportionality and accountability. It must also be applied in a non-discriminatory manner in accordance with the principles of the European Convention on Human Rights. In policing protests, it should be noted that the Garda engages in a gradual response that is reasonable. Where physical force is used against members of An Garda Síochána, they are entitled to respond in a proportional manner. I agree with the Deputy that there is a right of protest in this country, but I do not think the right of protest should allow a bunch of protesters to lock down this city by blocking Dublin Port as they did.”
“Balancing the right to protest with protecting the public and upholding the law is a complex task. An Garda Síochána's policing approach to protests is focused on keeping the public at large safe and preventing antisocial or criminal behaviour while respecting the right to peaceful assembly under the Constitution. Protests create operational challenges for An Garda Síochána, especially where those protestors engage in force against Garda members and seek to push violently through cordons. Factors such as the number of persons protesting, the location of protests and actions at the protest as well as the health and safety of all, including gardaí, require significant assessment. A detailed policy document on the use of incapacitant spray has been developed by An Garda Síochána and is publicly available on its website.”
“In relation to the use of incapacitant spray, it is one of a number of tactical options available to gardaí when faced with the use of force or the threat of violence when it is reasonable to believe that such force or threat of violence may result in injury to themselves or others. Information on the use of force, including the use of incapacitant spray, is published on the Garda website and in the Commissioner’s monthly reporting to the Policing and Community Safety Authority. The right to protest peacefully is enshrined in our Constitution and legislation. An Garda Síochána, through its human rights-led approach to policing, seeks to uphold and protect the right to freedom of assembly and to protest while also upholding the law and protecting the safety of the public when required.”
“I am responding on behalf of the Minister for justice to the issue that was raised. We in Ireland are lucky to have a police service in An Garda Síochána that has the widespread community support that has been hard earned over decades of service to the State and to our people. The common refrain from the public is that they want more gardaí in their community and on their streets. This is certainly not the case in many other jurisdictions in the world. This is because An Garda Síochána undertakes an important role in upholding and protecting the human and constitutional rights of everyone in our community. It does this by providing a high quality, effective policing service in partnership with the community and in co-operation with other agencies.”
“I assure the Deputy I will make the Minister and the Department, and, by extension, An Garda Síochána, aware of the issue he has raised here on the floor of the Dáil in view of the seriousness of the incident and his call for a review of the protocol.”
“Our Department will progress this important work to strengthen the law, ensuring those who carry out this cowardly act face the serious consequences they deserve. While the zero-tolerance plan contains 95 distinct actions across prevention, protection and prosecution, the promise to strengthen laws against drink spiking is a fundamental component of our mission. It demonstrates our resolve to address all forms of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence and to adapt our laws to tackle specific threats as they arise. As a Government, we are dedicated to making our communities safe for everyone.”
“Again, I thank the Deputy for raising what is a very serious issue. I acknowledge that the incident in question was very serious for the person and family on whose behalf he is raising this matter. Combating and eradicating sexual and gender-based violence is one of our core priorities. The programme for Government reaffirms our commitment to introducing stronger laws to combat the spiking of drinks. This is a specific and targeted commitment to protect people, particularly in the night-time economy, and to ensure our laws are robust enough to hold perpetrators to account. It sits within the overarching goal of the prosecution pillar of the zero-tolerance plan, which is to ensure that our justice system effectively vindicates the rights of victims and survivors.”
“There is now a protective services unit in every Garda division. An Garda Síochána advises any victim of an incident or spiking to report it to their local gardaí. The Garda continues to engage with partner agencies in monitoring the reporting of these matters for early warning of any identified patterns. These partner agencies include the HSE, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre and the Health Products Regulatory Authority. Any incident of this type, including those where there is evidence to suggest a link with spiking, will be investigated either by local gardaí or those supported by or attached to the divisional protective services unit.”
“Depending on the nature of the substance administered, it may be possible to charge a perpetrator with endangerment under section 13 of the Act. This provides that it is an offence to intentionally or recklessly engage in conduct that creates a substantial risk of death or serious harm to another. The offence of endangerment carries a maximum penalty of seven years’ imprisonment. An Garda Síochána takes all reports of spiking seriously and investigates thoroughly to determine the exact nature of each incident, including through the results of toxicology reports. The nationwide roll-out of the divisional protective services units has ensured that victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based crimes presenting to An Garda Síochána are met with a consistently high standard of specialist, sensitive, professional and expert assistance.”
“Currently, there is no specific crime type of spiking. Spiking may be reported as an independent offence in the form of poisoning, or it may be used by offenders to facilitate the commission of other crimes. Spiking a person’s drink or spiking someone by injection are, in effect, poisoning offences under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997, which can result in a three-year prison term. Section 12 of that Act applies to anyone who intentionally or recklessly administers a substance capable of interfering substantially with another person’s bodily functions, which explicitly includes inducing unconsciousness or sleep. A person guilty of the offence of poisoning may be subject to a maximum penalty of three years’ imprisonment.”
“On behalf of the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, I thank Deputy McGrath for submitting this Topical Issue and acknowledge the concerns raised in relation to the very serious issue of drink spiking. Spiking is a crime that preys on vulnerability, that undermines consent and that can have devastating consequences for victims. The Government is committed to taking a zero-tolerance approach to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. The final implementation plan for the third national zero-tolerance strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence was launched in June and sets out the delivery targets and collective action needed to tackle domestic, sexual and gender-based violence to the end of 2026. The programme for Government also includes a commitment to introduce stronger laws to combat the spiking of drinks.”
“They will be supported by full-time administrative staff, funded by the Department of justice and working with our local authorities. That will be another very important forum to deal with this issue.”
“I would like to make the point to the Deputy that we are in the process of establishing local community safety partnerships throughout the country. That is a step up or ramping up of the former joint policing committees. I know the Deputy is aware that 36 community safety partnerships will be stood up. They are in the process. Some are up and running and some have had their first meeting. Many of the local authorities are in the process of finally pulling together and populating them. They will have broader stakeholder and community representation than the previous joint policing committees, so there will be opportunities for residents' associations, community groups, local authority members and members of An Garda Síochána to all play a meaningful role.”
“The penalties for importing, selling or using unlicensed fireworks are significant and Part 6 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006 provides the Garda with the power to arrest people found with unlicensed fireworks and sets out significant penalties on conviction, as the Deputy alluded to, including fines up to €10,000 or up to five years' imprisonment for possession with intent to sell or supply. There is some amount of regulation in the area. I will write to the Deputy after this session to inform him what we have in the area of regulation.”
“I accept what the Deputy said about the season starting earlier and earlier each year, which is regrettable. That is true of the community in which I live, which is a rural part of Limerick. Some elderly neighbours were very put out by it. Under Operation Tombola, the Garda has carried out 1,218 fireworks seizures to an estimated value of €225,000. These seizures have undoubtedly contributed to reducing the harm associated with the illegal use of fireworks.”
“The operation encompasses all aspects of the policing of the Hallowe'en period each year. It combats the importation, sale and distribution of illegal fireworks through intelligence-led operations, searches and seizures, as well as focusing on preventing associated public disorder and antisocial behaviour. Over the past decade, under Operation Tombola, the Garda has carried out 1,218 fireworks seizures.”
“In addition to this awareness raising work in the run up to Hallowe'en, very good work is undertaken by local authorities and community groups to organise safe, fun events for children and young people in our communities around Hallowe'en. The Deputy will be familiar with the Finglas Fright Night and the Otherworld Hallowe'en Festival in Ballymun. I also very much welcome the return of the Big Scream festival in Dublin’s north inner city and the Bram Stoker festival supported by Dublin City Council. An Garda Síochána's Operation Tombola combats the illegal importation, sale and use of fireworks through a nationwide policing plan focused on the prevention and detection of the sale of fireworks and associated public order and antisocial behaviour issues during the Hallowe'en period.”
“I thank the Deputy for the question. We are well aware of the misery and distress the use of illegal fireworks can cause around this time of year. We also hear and see enough to know that they pose a real risk to the health and safety of young people and to the elderly and vulnerable. They also terrify family pets, service dogs and other animals. Our Department runs an annual awareness campaign that seeks to inform and educate the public about the serious dangers associated with fireworks and the penalties people can face for selling or using them. The Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, was pleased to launch that campaign two weeks ago at the Dublin Fire Brigade Training Centre.”
“I acknowledge the €390 million capital budget available to us, which will go towards many capital works, such as the finish and fit-out of the new Garda district headquarters in my constituency, in Newcastle West, and also to fund the ongoing planning of a new Garda station in Castletroy in Limerick city.”
“Every one of these additional men and women will increase the visibility of gardaí on our streets and in our villages and towns. A 13% increase in the Garda budget provides for an additional 392,000 overtime hours, bringing the total number of funded overtime hours to 3.5 million. While we recruit more gardaí, this will meet the sustained demand for a visible and responsive policing response to support serious crime prevention and investigations. Budget 2026 allocates the most ever to the justice sector, reflecting our commitment to tackling youth offending and antisocial behaviour and keeping people safe in their communities.”
“By directly engaging and preventing criminal and antisocial behaviour at an early stage, youth diversion projects reduce crime and give positive results to society. The significant increase in funding that I have secured means we can now reach young people in every part of the State. Youth diversion works in the vast majority of cases but it cannot stop all incidents of antisocial or criminal behaviour. As such, it is important to also emphasise the additional investment in An Garda Síochána. The budget allows for 1,500 more people to join the Garda workforce next year, up to 1,000 gardaí, 200 Garda staff, and a doubling in the size of the Garda Reserve. To put that in context, 1,500 people is 8% of the entire Garda workforce.”
“This record justice budget of over €6 billion reflects our strong commitment to build safe and secure communities. Youth justice has a crucial role to play in this. The significant increase of €7.3 million in youth justice funding which I have secured is a 22% increase and enables us to achieve comprehensive nationwide coverage of our network of youth diversion projects for the first time ever. The importance of this should not be understated. Youth diversion projects are on the front line. They tackle directly the causes of youth offending and antisocial behaviour. From Rathkeale in County Limerick to Moyross and Limerick city, north and south inner city Dublin and towns like Ennis and Portlaoise, I have seen at first hand the impact that youth diversion projects and youth workers have on young people at risk of criminal behaviour.”
“The actions in the policy framework include the establishment of a national working group on UAS geographical zones to develop transparent processes and procedures for the designation of UAS geographical zones; the safe management of the integration of UAS into our airspace and the impact on society and the environment; the establishment of a national U-space steering group to develop an action plan for the implementation of U-space; the establishment of a UAS enterprise and innovation leadership group to foster the development of a robust ongoing policy on innovation and commercialisation; and the introduction of fixed charge offences for infringement of UAS regulations to augment the extensive enforcement provisions in aviation, civil and criminal law already on the Statute Book.”
“It will facilitate the addressing of matters such as planning and environmental issues, including noise nuisance, by the appropriate authorities. The framework proposes a number of structures and actions that address concerns in relation to increased UAS usage and operations. It proposes 16 actions under three main areas: the use of airspace and planning; compliance and enforcement; and enterprise and innovations.”
“I am aware that the rapid pace of expansion of UAS operations has resulted in challenges and generated real concerns and uncertainty among communities, particularly around issues of noise, intrusion and privacy. The recently published policy framework seeks to identify and address any policy, regulatory or legislative gaps. It aims to facilitate consideration of how matters such as planning and environmental issues will be addressed by the appropriate authorities, including in the context of the expansion of commercial drone delivery services. Implementation of the policy framework relies on cross-government structures and the continuation of engagement and support from various Departments, agencies, the UAS sector, and of course the public.”
“The policy framework proposes a number of structures and actions that aim to address concerns in relation to increasing UAS usage and operations in balance with the realisation of the economic and societal benefits of the emerging UAS sector. Planning for the implementation of the policy framework is under way at the Department of Transport.”
“While there is a comprehensive regulatory framework in place from an aviation safety perspective, there are areas where the rapid pace of expansion of UAS operations has resulted in gaps and uncertainty. The Government, which was aware that the impact of a growing UAS sector needed further consideration, included in the programme for Government a commitment to guide high-level strategic planning and development of the UAS sector in Ireland. The recent publication of the policy framework for unmanned aircraft systems is the first step in fulfilling that commitment. The policy framework aims to guide high-level strategic planning and development of the UAS sector in Ireland through supporting growth and innovation, while ensuring safe and secure operations and managing environmental and other concerns.”
“At a national level S.I. No. 24 of 2023, the Irish Aviation Authority (Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Drones)) Order 2023 came into force on 2 February 2023 and replaced an earlier drones order. It sets out the investigative and enforcement powers of the Irish Aviation Authority and provides for arrangements between An Garda Síochána and the IAA in relation to enforcement of EU drone regulations. It also includes a section on privacy rights, which draws the attention of drone operators to the preparation of a data protection impact assessment, where required, in accordance with the EU general data protection regulation. In addition to complying with EU drone regulations, drone operators must comply with national laws including environmental, planning and privacy laws.”
“The drone regulations are operation-centric and focus on the risk of drone operations, so regulation is lighter on low-risk operations and more demanding on higher-risk operations. Drone delivery operations are closely regulated from an aviation safety perspective. These types of commercial drone operations may fall into the medium-risk "specific" category which may require specific authorisation by the Irish Aviation Authority. This type of authorisation is recognised in all EU member states. To obtain an operational authorisation an operator must provide a comprehensive safety portfolio, which includes assessing and addressing both ground and air risks with appropriate mitigations. These might include, for example, co-ordination with air traffic control and fitting the drone with a parachute and flight termination system.”
“Regulation 2019/947 sets operational rules that apply to both professional drone operators and those flying drones for leisure. Regulation 2019/945 sets the common EU-wide technical requirements for drones and the features and capabilities that drones must have in order to be flown safely. This regulation also seeks to foster investment and innovation in this sector through a harmonised framework across the European Union. The aim of the EU drone regulations is to achieve the same level of safety for drone operations as in manned aviation. The Irish Aviation Authority, the civil aviation regulator, oversees the implementation of the EU drone regulations and standards.”
“I thank both Deputies for raising this important matter. I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Transport. From an aviation safety perspective the regulation of the recreational and commercial use of drones, which are also known technically as unmanned aircraft systems, UAS, is provided for under the European Union regulations that are directly applicable in Ireland. Two drone-specific EU regulations ensure drone operations across Europe are safe and secure. The two regulations are the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 and the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947. These set out common rules for the regulation of drones and drone operators including training, licensing and registration.”