2025-06-10

The next Topical Issue listed for debate is in the name of Deputy Kelly and it is to discuss the need for greater for greater investment to resource An Garda Síochána with the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.

I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach.

I am quite happy to listen to Deputy Kelly and relay his concerns to the Minister tonight but the information I was given was that this Topical Issue was withdrawn and I do not have a brief from the Department. I am not a Minister of State at the Department so I may not have a suitable answer for Deputy Kelly tonight. If he wants to proceed and make his intervention, I am happy to listen to it and relay it back to the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan. Another option is for Deputy Kelly to withdraw his matter and have it taken tomorrow. I am conscious he has waited until 12.05 a.m. and I am more than happy to sit here and take on board the points he makes this evening.

I will put it to the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach. In fairness to the Minister of State, he has been honest and direct. It is now 12.09 a.m. and I have spent five or six hours at committee meetings and then waited five or six hours to do this now.

The floor is yours, Deputy.

Wait a second though; the floor is mine but the Minister of State is saying that I withdrew this matter. I did not. It is on the system, as we can see with our own eyes. Obviously, I would expect the Minister of State to have a briefing. In actual fact, I believe the Minister or the Minister of State responding should be from the relevant Department. Is there any point in me doing this now? Where will this go if I do not take it this evening? Will it be prioritised?

What we can do is to raise it with the Ceann Comhairle for the next round of Topical Issues, if the Deputy so wishes.

When will that be? The next round will be at 9 a.m. It is now 12.10 a.m. It is after midnight.

Our options are limited.

I want to know what happened here.

I want to make sure the Deputy gets a fair go at it.

To be fair to the Minister of State, he can only sit and listen to me. He is not even from the right Department. I will be sharing information. He will not be able to respond on the fly. It is detailed information. He will not be able to respond because he has no briefing and is not from the relevant Department, and it is now ten minutes past midnight. I was told by the Ceann Comhairle this morning, in writing, that my matter had been picked. I met the Ceann Comhairle and she told me in passing that it had been picked. I have waited all these hours to do this. It is up on the system, yet the Minister of State was not informed and we have no information or reply. What is the point in my going ahead? I want to know what relief I will get and what happened.

We can raise it with the Ceann Comhairle in the morning and ask that the Deputy be accommodated in raising the matter as quickly as can be facilitated. Whether that is in the morning or on Thursday will be a decision for the Ceann Comhairle.

At what time will I be informed in the morning? Will it be at 8.55 a.m.? This is farcical.

I will not pre-empt what the Ceann Comhairle is going to do, but we can raise the matter with her because I want to give the Deputy-----

I am not being difficult, but for this to happen at this hour of the night or morning - and I am not blaming the Minister of State - is farcical. It is an absolute farce to be waiting for all these hours and then be left in this situation. I do not see the point in proceeding.

Does the Deputy want me to raise it with the Ceann Comhairle to be included in the morning?

To be helpful, the matters for the morning will already have been selected and the relevant Deputies will be coming in for them. Perhaps I am speaking out of hand, but I do not think even Deputy Kelly will be ready to come in at 9 a.m. after staying here until 12.10 a.m. I will give a commitment. I accept that the error was probably made by the Department of Justice.

I do not know.

It was an error, and errors can happen. To be fair to Deputy Kelly, however, he has waited until 12.10 a.m. I do not have the information to hand to be able to give him the comprehensive answer that he deserves and that is warranted. I am sure the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, will facilitate the hearing of this matter on the earliest possible date that suits Deputy Kelly and the Minister or a Minister of State from his Department, with the agreement of the Ceann Comhairle. Between the three of us, I think we can get it sorted out quickly.

Is that fair enough?

Let me just have it documented that it is a farce to be left here until 12.10 a.m., waiting for hours, and then treated like this. In what other work environment would people be treated like this? We are all into family friendly environments.

I want to make sure the Deputy gets the opportunity. We will raise the matter with the Ceann Comhairle to ensure that he does. I thank the Deputy for his patience.

I do not have patience.