Robbie Gallagher
Labour Panel · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“I want to raise an issue that I feel is having a very detrimental and suffocating effect on rural Ireland. This is the declining number of taxis available. It is so bad now that it is causing an economic bottleneck and, in my opinion, is also acting as a social barrier.”
“This is killing the night-time economy especially. People would like to go out and socialise, which we would like to see, and go out for a bite to eat or a few drinks or whatever. It is important that we encourage this type of behaviour.”
“I join others in thanking all of the staff in the campus of Leinster House for their hospitality and the manner in which they look after us all year in, year out. I say to all of my colleagues in the Chamber that I enjoy their company, perhaps not all of the time but most of the time I am glad to say.”
“I too would like to raise the urgent case of the approximately 200 people in this country who are living with Friedreich's ataxia. It is a rare and progressive condition that gradually takes away a person's mobility and independence. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this condition but there is hope.”
“Unfortunately, they had to turn around and head home without getting that news. Ten other EU countries have already made this treatment available but Ireland continues to wait while this progressive condition for those who have it continues.”
“I will raise an issue that affects thousands of people in this country but, in my opinion, does not get the attention it deserves. That is the shockingly poor return Irish people are getting on their savings in Irish banks.”
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“One of the most important measures is the criminalisation of so-called sex-for-rent arrangements which, as the previous speaker alluded to, has been an issue for quite some time. The Bill makes it an offence to offer or advertise accommodation in exchange for sexual activity. There is a clear abuse of powers that exploits vulnerable people who are often in a very vulnerable housing situation. This legislation will send a strong message that such behaviour will not be tolerated any longer. The Bill also strengthens the protections for victims of sexual offences which again is very welcome. It reforms the process surrounding the disclosure of counselling records in requiring a court hearing in every case where disclosure is sought.”
“The Minister is welcome back to the House. I wish to comment on his concluding remarks on his term as Minister and his ambitions in that portfolio. As everyone in this House can see, his work ethic and enthusiasm for bringing change are admirable and very much welcome. I commend him sincerely on that. Fianna Fáil very much supports this Bill. As the Minister outlined, it responds to a wide range of challenges in the justice system. It is very practical legislation covering a wide range of areas. It delivers a range of practical reforms across our justice system aimed at protecting vulnerable people, improving public safety, reducing pressures on our prisons and making the administration of justice more efficient, which is a very admirable goal I am sure we all agree with.”
“As the Minister has outlined, Ireland must decide by 23 June 2026 whether it will opt in and participate in the adoption and application of this directive. The proposal does not alter the existing EU rules governing lawful firearms ownership. It focuses exclusively on criminal offences involving illicit firearms and strengthening the EU's response to firearms trafficking and related criminal activity. As the Minister outlined, we need co-operation across all EU states in order to tackle the threats that exist today. I look forward to this directive moving forward swiftly.”
“As the Minister has outlined, the directive aims to harmonise criminal offences and penalties across member states, improve law enforcement and judicial co-operation, strengthen information sharing and address gaps in data collection relating to firearms crime. Key offences covered include the illicit trafficking and manufacturing of firearms, the possession of illicit firearms and ammunition, tampering with firearms markings, and the illegal creation, possession or dissemination of 3D printing blueprints for firearms. Member states will be required to provide for maximum penalties, ranging from at least two years for certain blueprint-related offences to at least eight years for firearms trafficking and illicit manufacture.”
“While existing EU legislation regulates the lawful acquisition, possession, import and export of firearms, there is currently no EU-wide framework establishing common criminal offences and penalties for illegal firearms activity. The Commission noted that illicit firearms continue to pose a significant threat to public security, facilitating organised crime, drug trafficking, robbery and gang violence. Emerging risks include the spread of 3D printing technology, which can be used to manufacture firearms, and the potential diversion of weapons from conflicts near the EU into criminal markets.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. I welcome our good friends from Roscommon to the House this afternoon. I promise that I will not mention the football match against Monaghan last weekend. Beidh lá eile acu. On behalf of Fianna Fáil, I welcome and support the motion the Minister has put forward. The proposed firearms trafficking directive aims to introduce an EU-wide framework with common definitions for firearm offences and penalties, support stronger co-operation between member states and improve the collection and use of data. The proposal is intended to combat illicit firearms trafficking and other firearms-related offences across the EU.”
“I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to take part in the adoption and application of the following proposed measure: Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on combating firearms trafficking and other firearms-related offences and amending Directive (EU) 2024/1260 of the European Parliament and of the Council, a copy of which was laid before Seanad Éireann on 18th March, 2026.”
“It stated that between 17% and 18%, which is roughly about one in every six women, who attend a first consultation with their GP do not attend the second. Surely, our time would be better spent reflecting and interrogating that data to see exactly what is going on here. We all have our opinions on it. I fully accept the decision that was made on that date but I have a problem with us changing what the Irish people were asked to vote for on that occasion.”
“In May 2018, the Irish people decided to repeal the eighth amendment to the Constitution. We all fully accept the decision of the people on that date. Forming a huge part of that decision was the three-day mandatory reflection period or cooling-off period from one consultation to the next. I am disappointed that Sinn Féin is the latest party to come forward to propose to remove that three-day mandatory wait. We are moving the goalposts on the people. We asked them to vote for something. We gave them the detail and they voted. We accept that, but now we are moving the goalposts by removing the three-day mandatory wait. I came across statistics from the HSE recently, which were enlightening.”
“This register will give hope and clarity to many people. There are also safeguards for those who will find themselves on the register, which the Minister has outlined in his report. Suffice to say, and I will conclude on this point, I commend both families on being here. I commend the Minister on the enthusiasm and the vigour he is bringing to the Department, particularly around this issue. I will hand over now to my colleague, Senator O'Loughlin.”
“I imagine the courage it took for those 1,250 people to pick up the phone and to make that call initially. We can only imagine how painful and stressful that was but I salute those great people and hope their lives are in a better place today for making that call. I also make an appeal here to all women, girls and children who find themselves in a similar situation to please, please come forward. May they get the courage to pick up the phone, ring a friend or ring a member of the Garda, and not suffer in silence, because there is help out there. The biggest step is the first step. That is the step when they pick up the phone and make that call. I make that plea to anybody who finds themselves in that horrible situation to please come forward. The business as outlined by the Minister this afternoon is a huge positive step forward.”
“Both families are to be commended on the huge effort they are making to bring much-needed change in both areas. We owe you all a deep debt of gratitude in that regard. The Minister outlined the Bill as he is presenting it here this afternoon. I am sure all Senators will enthusiastically get behind that and make sure this legislation becomes law as soon as possible. The scourge of domestic violence still haunts us as a country. The statistics, unfortunately, seem to be going in the wrong way. I just came across statistics back in 2024 and An Garda Síochána responded to something like 65,000 call-outs from domestic abuse situations in one year. That is 1,250 calls every single week of the year. Those figures are truly frightening and hugely disappointing.”
“The Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, is very welcome back to the Seanad to discuss this very important matter. I put on record again my appreciation for the vigour, the enthusiasm and the determination that he has brought to this portfolio and the changes he is bringing in. They are all very important, including the particular issue we are discussing here this afternoon. I thank him on behalf of us all in the House. I would also like to welcome and acknowledge the presence of Jason and Joe here and to commend them as well, along with Deputy Paul McAuliffe, for their work in this area. I also welcome David French and commend him on the work and advocacy that both families have undertaken in extremely difficult and painful circumstances.”
“I would be grateful if we could have the Minister for agriculture, Deputy Heydon, in here to have a debate about farmers and their health. It is a hugely important issue.”
“Unfortunately, farmers do not go to the doctor often and when they do, it is normally as a result of a problem they are having. Mr. McKeon says that mentality needs to change. The research also noted that many farmers wear wellingtons and footwear that does not have great support. He said that results in issues like sore ankles, knees and hips down the road. He also talked about the silent killer that we all know stress is, particularly when the weather is poor and the farmer cannot get out to the fields to work or when productivity is not what it should be. That places a strain on both the farm and the farm family with regard to income coming into the house. That can cause stress. He talked about the importance of being able to speak to people.”
“I was struck by a report published by Michael McKeon of Teagasc recently. Mr. McKeon cited research carried out by Dr. Breda Smyth into farmer mortality rates to highlight the poor state of farmers' health in this country. Some of the findings of the report were stark and alarming. It found that farmers experience a five times higher incidence of cardiovascular issues, five times higher incidence of cancer and seven times higher mortality rates in the working age range compared with white collar workers. Mr. McKeon used the analogy of the car, tractor or loader to explain what is going on. He made the point that we all take great care to ensure our car, tractor or loader is properly serviced because not to do so would result in damage to the vehicle. He says we need to use the same thought process when it comes to our health.”
“I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response to my question. As he outlined, this particular initiative makes perfect sense. What we are talking about is prevention rather than cure. If we can encourage, where possible, more people to take up gym membership, whether in swimming pools or wherever, that is a good thing. It can be quite costly to be a member of a gym - €500, €600 or €700 per annum - but it is hugely encouraging to see so many, young and old, taking up gym membership. Giving them something small back would be a positive signal for the Government to send out to encourage people to keep at it, and some kind of tax relief in the next budget would very much be welcome.”
“An incentive in the budget in September would send out a positive message whereby people would get a small return back on their gym membership.”
“Preventative health is about reducing future pressures on the system so that we can cope better when shocks inevitably come. Allowing people to claim tax back on gym membership is a small change, but it would send a clear signal that prevention matters and that staying active is something that the State should actively support. We should encourage as many of our citizens as possible to stay fit and active. A small bit of physical activity a day will pay dividends in the long run. A good Monaghan man, Professor Niall Moyna, said that if we could get the benefits of physical exercise and put it into a capsule or tablet, it would be a world best seller. Any help that we can give to people who are members of gyms or swimming pools or whatever would send out a positive message to encourage people to take up or continue with physical activity.”
“Extending this preventative logical to physical activity is consistent with other existing health policies. We are very good at spending money on people who are unwell. We are not so good at supporting people to stay healthy in the first place. Regular physical activity reduces pressure on GP and hospital services. It improves mental health, lowers long-term healthcare costs and helps people remain active in work and community life for longer. Even small increases in activity levels can have positive meaningful impacts on demands across the health system. If a modern tax incentive encouraged more people to stay active, the return on that investment would be financial, social and measured in a better quality of life. Fundamentally, this would align the tax system with an outcome that we already say that we want.”
“When people spend money on activities that keep them fit and healthy, the State should recognise that fact, just as it does with GP visits, prescriptions or other medical treatments. If gym membership or other approved physical activities were treated like other health expenses, people could claim tax back at the standard rate. For example, if someone is paying €500 a year for gym membership, they could claim 20% back and get a rebate of approximately €100. The rebate would help reduce the cost and reward healthy choices. It would support people who want to stay active, whether through gyms, fitness classes, swimming or structured exercise programmes. The State already subsidises preventative dental care on the understanding that early intervention reduces long-term costs and it makes perfect sense.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Troy, go dtí an Teach inniu. Prevention is better than the cure is an old adage that is as true today as it ever was. This is particularly relevant with regard to health and well-being. Every year, the health budget increases. Treating illness is an incredibly expensive business. It makes sense perfect sense to spend on preventative measures and to support people who are trying to stay healthy. More people in Ireland today are living with obesity, diabetes, heart disease and mental health challenges than ever before. Billions of euro are spent each year treating these conditions that are often preventable. A system that only intervenes after people become ill will always be under pressure. On the other hand, a system that supports people to stay healthy builds resilience.”
“Human rights and data protection impact assessments will be required as part of the procedure and drafting of a code of practice. The Data Protection Commission, among others, will be consulted during the drafting process. The purchase of commercial data basis, etc., against which biometric identification could run will be prohibited. As the Minister outlined, An Garda Síochána already maintains databases of images and has a legal basis to process images of individuals arrested or convicted under various enactments with the existing rules on retention of those images. The regulatory strategy throughout is to frame a Bill as a balanced response between privacy rights and public safety. I look forward to the Bill proceeding.”
“The Bill was drafted with these two laws to the fore of its considerations and any future work in this area will have to ensure there is no conflict with EU law. The Bill contains a requirement that An Garda Síochána only carry out biometric analysis in the context of investigations of an arrestable offence. An arrestable offence, as the Minister outlined, is an offence for which a person of full capacity and not previously convicted may, under or by virtue of any enactment or of common law, be punished by imprisonment for a term of up to five years or by a more severe penalty, and includes an attempt to commit any such offence. Whether the processing of biometric data is relevant to a particular arrestable offence will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.”
“Its use will mean that gardaí could sort and filter, or cluster, relevant images from a collection of images or footage. It does not seek to identify a person. Rather, it seeks to find an instance of a person across the relevant images or footage where it is necessary and proportionate to do so. Under the Data Protection Act 2018, it is not possible for An Garda Síochána to process biometric data without a clear statutory basis. The power to carry out biometric analysis needs to be explicitly provided for and is set out in this Bill. Biometric technologies are already being utilised in police services across the EU and, indeed, in the UK as well. The Bill is subject to EU law in this area, including the AI Act and two regulations.”
“In any serious investigation there can be a significant amount of digital data. Without data analysis tools, the length of investigations is likely to increase and have an impact on the Garda's ability to prevent and detect serious crime. The aim in proposing this legislation, as the Minister outlined, was to introduce a limited form of retrospective facial recognition which can assist An Garda Síochána to search CCTV, video footage, images or other documents, where it already does so manually, more quickly and more efficiently. The Bill amends the Garda Síochána Recording Devices Act 2023 in order to give effect to the Government decision to provide that biometric technologies may be used by An Garda Síochána. Biometric analysis is the automated organisation of biometric data of documents, including images of video footage.”
“This Bill, if passed, will allow the retrospective use of biometric analysis by An Garda Síochána which will help members to carry out investigations quickly and efficiently, saving valuable Garda time. It will be of most assistance where time is of the essence to preserve a person from a threat of serious harm or a threat to their life. It will also save the gardaí from the harrowing work of poring over thousands or even millions of images and footage of child sexual abuse material. The use of biometric technology will be limited to cases of arrestable offences where it is proportionate and necessary. It will be subject to strict safeguards and a code of practice that will outline the specific data protection and human rights controls that must be taken into consideration when utilising this technology.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire ar ais arís chuig an Seanad um thráthnóna. I welcome the Minister back to the House this afternoon. On behalf of the Fianna Fáil Group, I welcome this debate and very much support the Bill. We firmly believe that everyone deserves to feel safe in their home, in their community, on our streets and on public transport. To achieve this, citizens must have faith and trust in An Garda Síochána to effectively tackle crime. Providing gardaí with the technologies needed to deliver an effective policing service is a central goal to this. Currently, Garda investigations can involve teams spending months trawling through CCTV footage or footage captured on phones by passers-by.”
“The Government is moving in terms of online safety but we need to more and do it quicker because we need to protect young people in their formative years and I fear that social media gives young people an impression of the world that is far from reality.”
“Go raibh maith ag an Aire Stáit and I thank the Minister of State for his response. The presentation made by the principal of St. Macartan's College, an all-boys secondary school, last Friday is one of the most powerful presentations that I have heard in all my years in this House. Everyone who was present was saddened, shocked, alarmed and fearful of the effect that social media is having on schools. The principals and teachers in all schools are at the coalface in that they are dealing with the effects of it on a daily basis. Some of the examples outlined by Mr. McCague were truly shocking. His fear is that we may look back on this era in time to come with sadness of regret.”
“Active - young people now relax with the phone in their hand scrolling and viewing social media - this is often at the expense of moving and exercising contributing to the rise in obesity and issues like poor posture and eye strain. 6. Responsible - social media promotes irresponsibility and a lack of self-discipline. There is no regulation - there are no consequences for breaching a code of conduct. The availability of illicit images promotes irresponsibility. The ban on phones in schools was a welcome act but it needs to go further. We need to prohibit students who are under 16 years of age from having access to a smartphones. It is deeply affecting the moral fibre of our young people, their mental health, their ability to forge authentic connections and their ability to decode what is real, false, right and wrong.”
“Aware - young people are now very unaware of what is real and what is false. They cannot critically evaluate the validity of sources or information causing confusion, false impressions, misplaced trust and a sense of confusion on what is right and what is wrong. They are not aware of what is acceptable or unacceptable - if it appears acceptable on social media therefore it must be. 4. Resilient - young people’s dependency on validation online leads to a lack of resilience. Their need to conform to the idealistic images on social media means that their failure to meet these expectations results in collapse and sensationalising of their unique deficiencies. 5.”
“It creates virtual and false connections between young people and replaces the authentic friendships that they should be forming in their adolescence. 2. Respected - the base level of communication between adolescents is horrific. They are insulting each other at a level that would shock people. Young people will type something that they would never say to somebody’s face. They do not see the consequences of these words, images so therefore they do not consider them. It is common place for young people to tell each other to go kill themselves via social media - unfortunately this is a trigger for poor mental health, low self-esteem, depression and often suicidal ideation. Furthermore - their role models/influences are role modelling misogyny, toxic masculinity and dangerous moral values. 3.”
“His fear is that we would look back on this era with great sadness and regret that we have not done more to protect our young people from the evils of social media. I would like to read out an extract from the presentation that he made, which floored everyone who heard it on that day. It states: Social media is an impediment to all of the investment of time and focus in schools on Student Wellbeing. Social Media acts as a counter point to the learning opportunities afforded to students in school. There are 6 Junior Cycle Indicators of wellbeing [connection, respected, aware, resilient, active and responsible] and each one of them is being challenged directly by adolescent use of social media. 1. Connection - social media actually diminishes true connection.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, an Teachta McConalogue. The Minister of State is very welcome. I thank him for taking time out of his busy schedule to be here. I attended a meeting of the local sports partnership at the Monaghan Peace Campus last Friday, where two schools, the Model National School and St. Macartan's College, gave presentations. The Model National School gave a presentation on road safety, and St. Macartan's College gave a presentation on social media. The St. Macartan’s school principal is a gentleman by the name of David McCague. St. Macartan's is an all-boys secondary school. Mr. McCague gave a powerful presentation on the impact that social media is having on young people, and he sees it daily as a school principal. He said that social media should be named anti-social media.”
“During this particular time of year with the sun high in the sky, farmers are very busy. They are under pressure regarding time. I urge them to pause for a second, to check that the machinery is working okay and to be extra careful as they go about their daily tasks. When a fatality occurs on a farm, it is truly heartbreaking for that family. Every single day that they get up and go on that farm, there is a reminder of it. My plea today is for people to be extra careful as they go about their daily work.”
“This week, I endorse the ongoing campaign in relation to Tractor Safety Week. The campaign urges and encourages people using tractors and farm machinery to be very careful as they go about their daily tasks. The tractor is synonymous with farm work. Indeed, it is centrally used - nearly every single day of the week and with that comes many dangers. Unfortunately, last year, 25 people lost their lives on Irish farms. That is twice the number of the year before. In addition to that, there were approximately over 4,600 serious farm accidents, many of them resulting in life-changing situations for the people concerned and their families. This week, I endorse that campaign. I plead with all farmers, farm contractors and anybody in close proximity to farm machinery to be very careful. I was born and reared on a farm myself.”
“I thank the Minister for his response. I again thank him sincerely for his input in trying to progress this scheme. As I said at the outset, the people of Carrickmacross have been waiting for a long time. From my experience of the CCTV system, one of the pieces of feedback and the learnings that have come back from it is the frustration by all concerned with the length of time it takes to get from the initial application to approval status. There seems to be an awful lot of fences and hurdles to jump before you get the green light. Thankfully, the people of Carrickmacross have jumped all those hurdles now. I thank the local gardaí, the local authority and the local authority members for all their work in progressing this scheme. We look forward to it going live, so to speak, in the coming weeks.”
“It has proven to be hugely successful in that it gives people great confidence as they go about their daily business, be it during daylight hours or in darkness, to know that there is someone looking out for them, if I can put it that way. The people of Carrickmacross are asking when they can expect their scheme to go live. I hope the Minister might be able to give us a date as to when this big switch-on will take place.”
“I thank the Minister for his assistance in pushing this along since he came into office a short time ago. He and I spoke about this particular subject on a number of occasions. The scheme in Carrickmacross consists of 17 cameras, which are being installed in 14 strategic locations throughout the town. The locations of these cameras have been identified by the Garda and three of them will have dual locations, which will be of assistance in relation to comprehensive coverage. Signage is being displayed throughout the town at the moment to ensure the public will be well aware of where these cameras are located. The people of Carrickmacross have been waiting for some time for these CCTV cameras. I acknowledge the Minister's input in trying to push this particular scheme on. We have had one in Monaghan town for the past year or two.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire ar ais arís chuig an Seanad. The Minister is very welcome back to the Seanad. I thank him for taking time out of his busy schedule to take this Commencement here this morning. His presence is always very much appreciated. As the Minister well knows, a CCTV scheme offers significant benefits for communities, homes and businesses by deterring crime and improving overall safety. The Act is a strong deterrent to potential offenders. It assists authorities in identifying suspects and resolving disputes. Visible cameras discourage vandalism, antisocial behaviour and trespassing, creating a safer overall environment for our neighbourhoods. As the Minister knows, the people of Carrickmacross have been waiting for some time on their CCTV scheme but, thankfully, things are now on the move.”
“They are not entitled to social housing because they are classified as earning too much, but they are struggling to pay the rent and save for a mortgage as well. It is vital that we look after the people who are working in this country.”
“The last time the thresholds were increased was back in January 2023. As we all know, the price of housing and of rent has increased significantly since then. I understand that the Minister, Deputy Browne, has a review ongoing in this area. The results of that are due shortly but it needs to happen as a matter of urgency. Many of these people are working on the minimum wage, which is currently at €28,600. They are struggling. They want to work but currently the system is not helping them out. We need to help those people who are working at slightly above the minimum wage, who qualify for nothing. Clearly, we cannot allow that to continue. I ask the Acting Leader to arrange for the Minister to come to the House to debate this as a matter of urgency. We have to look after this cohort of people who are entitled to nothing.”
“I call for an increase in the income threshold limits to qualify for social housing. Many young people who contact me are getting no assistance whatsoever in this area. They are not earning enough money to be able to purchase a home of their own and in many cases are struggling to pay the rent. They are also just over the limit of the social housing guidelines. To give the House an idea, in the part of the world I hail from, in Monaghan and Cavan, and in many other counties, the income threshold for a two-income household with two children is €33,000. These people are locked out of purchasing a home and in many cases they are struggling to pay the rent. According to the system, they are earning too much money to qualify for any social housing assistance. They are at the end of the road because there is simply no help for them.”
“On a point of order, if I may, respectfully, I have a suggestion that might perhaps move matters on. I am not trying to curtail debate here. I am just wondering whether, if perhaps the Minister came in at this point, it might answer some of the questions the Members have legitimately put forward.”
“Officers are out there helping their community, which is very laudable. It can be a worthwhile career for any young or not so young person, as the case may be now, and I encourage anyone who is thinking about it to go ahead and make the application. I am sure they will not regret it.”
“Any fair-minded, right-thinking individual in these Houses would have no problem endorsing that comment. It is great to see the progress that is being made. We are beginning to get a bit of momentum. As previous speakers alluded to, we need to see that momentum being built on. I am confident that, with the team in place in the Department of justice at the moment, we will see that happening. I welcome the announcement this week of a new recruitment campaign, which was jointly launched by the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, and the Commissioner. I encourage all young people who would like a rewarding career in the Garda to apply. I was that soldier for a short period but I moved on after a number of years. I touched on the dangers of being a garda but it is a very rewarding career as well.”
“When gardaí subsequently get into difficulty, for one reason or another, while carrying out their duties at the site of a traffic accident or what have you, many of them feel they are treated as guilty until proven innocent. That is not the way is should be. Garda morale has been low in recent years. There has been a change at the top of An Garda Síochána, which has been a positive development. As with the team in the Department of justice, which I alluded to earlier, the new Garda Commissioner has hit the ground running. He has connected with the membership, whereas heretofore others may have struggled in that space. It is vital that members of An Garda Síochána feel valued by society. We must not tolerate, under any guise, attempts to intimidate members of the Garda or their families.”
“It is also vital that we do not lose too many people through the exit door. The role the garda representative bodies play in that regard, in being a voice for their members, is worth nothing. The Garda Representative Association, GRA, and the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors, AGSI, do an excellent job in relaying the needs of their membership. It is important that the Government gives both associations a close ear in relation to what they have to say about what is going on in the job. My colleagues have mentioned a number of issues, for example, in relation to driving licences. During the course of their duties, God only knows what kinds of scenes gardaí may come upon. They have to act in the moment, and they do so for all the right reasons.”
“We also have to acknowledge, and it is widely accepted by most commentators, that the team we have in the justice Department at present have all hit the ground running, led ably by the Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, ably assisted by the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, and the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy. They are making progress and any fair-minded commentary on the progress within the Department of justice would have to accede to that. I am confident that the figure of 15,000 will be reached. I hope that we will see more movement there and more growth on those figures. The additional works that are going on in Templemore to facilitate bigger intakes is very welcome. Hopefully, we can see that momentum increase in speed as we move forward. It is important that we get people coming in the door.”