Jim O'Callaghan

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an gceist. Tá an ceart aige. Tá a lán Gaeilgeoirí sa Gharda Síochána. Beidh mé ag dul go dtí Dún na nGall inniu agus beidh mé ann amárach. Níl aon dabht ach go mbeidh mé ag labhairt Gaeilge leis na gardaí i dTír Chonaill. Tá scéim sa Gharda Síochána. Táimid ag lorg Gaeilgeoirí. Chuaigh mé go dtí Contae na Mí cúpla seachtain ó shin agus bhí mé ag labhairt Gaeilge…

I thank Deputy Cahill for his very important question. As he will be aware, spiking is a crime that preys on vulnerability, undermines consent and can have devastating consequences for victims. I want him to know that as Minister, I am committed to the Government's zero-tolerance approach when it comes to all forms of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Regrettably, it is the case that spi…

I agree with the Deputy. This is an extremely serious offence. It is an offence that is targeted predominately against women so that other serious sexual offences can be perpetrated against them. Gardaí inform me that incidents of spiking are more commonly reported alongside other primary offences. I also regret to say that it appears that the number of incidents of spiking is significant. I am i…

I will raise with my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, the protocols that are or could be put in place if someone presents at an emergency department who believes their drink may have been spiked or they may have been spiked. It is obviously important, if that occurred, for the purpose of the investigation that samples are taken so that proof can be provided that the spiking did, i…

It is an essential part of the Government strategy in respect of responding to domestic violence that we have in place appropriate refuges and safe houses throughout the country. Under the third national domestic, sexual and gender-based violence strategy, this Government has committed to doubling domestic violence safe accommodation capacity to 282 units by the end of next year. Cuan, the statut…

I thank Deputy Kerrane for her question. No doubt there will be an element of flexibility in respect of considering locations for refuges. It is essential that we have refuges spread geographically throughout the country. What I want to see is not necessarily a refuge in every county, because in some counties you may need two because of the size of them, but locations that are close to where peop…

I should have pointed out that the refuge I visited on Monday was in Clonmel. I was extremely impressed by the service provided and the commitment of the staff. I was also at another event this week which is relevant to the discussion we are having about domestic violence. That was the launch of a report by an organised called Men Overcoming Violence, MOVE. We are never going to be really able to …

As the Deputy will be aware, this year we changed the payment under the accommodation recognition payment, ARP, from €800 per month to €600 per month. I know there were concerns about that change as to what impact it would have on those individuals being accommodated. I am pleased to say it has not had, in our opinion, a significantly detrimental impact and has not led to very many people who were…

I disagree that it was blatantly obvious at the time it was introduced that it was going to have an impact on the private rental sector. We are not even sure at present that it is having an impact. There may be issues in respect of it. It is hard to definitively establish that. We are ensuring it will not be able to affect the private rental sector because we are going to limit eligibility for the…

I do not recall Sinn Féin objecting to the ARP when the previous Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, introduced it at the time temporary protection was granted.

It was a necessary measure for the purpose of providing accommodation to the large number of people from Ukraine who came here. The Deputy said the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, and I have not done anything but we have. We reduced it from €800 to €600. I would have thought it is clearly the case we are gradually trying to introduce further measures in respect of it. We are bringing forward leg…

I move the following Supplementary Estimates: Vote 2 — Department of the Taoiseach (Supplementary Estimate) That a supplementary sum not exceeding €3,389,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2025, for the salaries and expenses of the Department of the Taoiseach, including certain services administered by the …

I welcome to the Visitors Gallery the women who have campaigned very vigorously to stop violence against women and girls. It is also very appropriate that this House is discussing the issue of violence against women and girls today, which, as Deputy Farrell says, is International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. That is a day that is not just recognised in Ireland but is recognis…

I was reading section 46 of the sexual offences Act.

I am pleased to commend the Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025 to the House. No amendments to the Bill have been tabled on Committee Stage. I particularly acknowledge the co-operation and support that has been given to the Bill by colleagues and party spokespersons across the House. I also extend my thanks to the Oireachtas staff, in particular the staff of the Bills Office …

I thank Deputy Ward for his contribution. This is an amendment that was mentioned previously by Deputy Carthy. The purpose of it is to try to provide for the payment to jurors of travel and subsistence expenses, and for reimbursement for financial losses incurred in the exercise of their responsibilities as jurors. It is important to point out that jury service is a very important civic duty. In m…

I move the following Supplementary Estimates: Vote 20 — Garda Síochána (Supplementary Estimate) That a supplementary sum not exceeding €20,424,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2025, for the salaries and expenses of the Garda Síochána, including pensions, etc.; for the payment of certain witnesses’ expense…

I move: That leave be given by the Dáil to introduce the following Supplementary Estimates for the service of the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2025: Vote 32 — Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (Supplementary Estimate). Vote 33 — Culture, Communications and Sport (Supplementary Estimate). Vote 34 — Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Supplementary Estimate).

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to introduce the Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025. I look forward to the debate and discussion here with Members in respect of this legislation. I acknowledge and thank Deputy Carthy, who is the Chairperson of the justice committee, for the fact that the committee has agreed to waive pre-legislative scrutiny …

I thank all Members who made contributions. I listened to them very carefully. Deputy Carthy started off talking about long delays in cases that involve sexual violence. I think Deputies Ward and Ó Murchú mentioned that as well. It can be the case that there are lengthy delays when it comes to complaints made to An Garda Síochána about sexual offences. If we think about what the Garda is required …

I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, pursuant to Standing Orders 103 and 188.

Both I and the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, very much welcome the opportunity to discuss in Dáil Éireann the processing and enforcement of international protection. It is important to emphasise what, in fact, is meant by "international protection". It is sometimes confused with other areas of immigration. "International protection" is the term that we use to describe those people who come to …

It is 38%.

I thank Deputy Carthy for his question. I did indeed have an opportunity to read the Victims of Sexual Violence Civil Protection Orders Bill he introduced to the House on 26 June. Deputy Carthy's Bill seeks to provide that at the same time as somebody is convicted of a serious sexual offence on indictment the court would impose an order restraining the person convicted of the offence from approach…

I agree with Deputy Carthy when he says we need to empower victims. One issue I may have in respect of his legislation is that the proposal is that at the time of conviction the protection order would be placed on the individual. If we think about it, under the legislation Deputy Carthy proposes the protection order would be put in place at the same time that an individual is sentenced to ten to 1…