Mattie McGrath Urges Passage of Terror Bill, Warns of Garda Exodus
Mattie McGrath urged that the Occupy Terrorism Bill be passed and said it could be taken as soon as Friday, while raising urgent concerns about Garda shortages in Tipperary. He pressed for legislation to be drafted correctly so it will not fail at the first hurdle or in European courts, and outlined local policing shortfalls.
McGrath said he supports calls for the Occupy Terrorism Bill to be passed and offered that it could be debated on Friday if time allows. He emphasised that the bill should be legally robust and warned against drafting that could lead to it failing in European courts.
He said the matter is due to be discussed at the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee and that the Tornestown Minister for Foreign Affairs is expected to attend. McGrath noted that Senator Francis Black, as sponsor of the bill, has engaged constructively and that departmental officials, including the legal adviser, will present to the committee.
McGrath described a severe shortage of Garda numbers in Tipperary, saying officers suffer burnout and that recruitment shortfalls and redeployments leave communities without sufficient policing. He listed affected areas - South Tipperary, Conmel, Carrickenshire, Castle, Tipperary town and surrounding areas - and warned that officers are often brought to Dublin for demonstrations, leaving local services stretched.
In response, he noted that Tempo more has been reopened and is operating at capacity and that more Garda recruits are leaving the Garda College every 12 weeks. McGrath said the Government will continue work on recruitment and capacity, while urging further attention to on-the-ground policing needs.
Occupy Terrorism Bill support
McGrath said he supports calls for the Occupy Terrorism Bill to be passed and offered that it could be debated on Friday if time allows. He emphasised that the bill should be legally robust and warned against drafting that could lead to it failing in European courts.
Oireachtas committee briefing planned
He said the matter is due to be discussed at the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee and that the Tornestown Minister for Foreign Affairs is expected to attend. McGrath noted that Senator Francis Black, as sponsor of the bill, has engaged constructively and that departmental officials, including the legal adviser, will present to the committee.
Garda numbers and local policing pressures
McGrath described a severe shortage of Garda numbers in Tipperary, saying officers suffer burnout and that recruitment shortfalls and redeployments leave communities without sufficient policing. He listed affected areas - South Tipperary, Conmel, Carrickenshire, Castle, Tipperary town and surrounding areas - and warned that officers are often brought to Dublin for demonstrations, leaving local services stretched.
Government recruitment and training response
In response, he noted that Tempo more has been reopened and is operating at capacity and that more Garda recruits are leaving the Garda College every 12 weeks. McGrath said the Government will continue work on recruitment and capacity, while urging further attention to on-the-ground policing needs.
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Transcript
I, too, support the calls for the Occupy Terrorism Bill to be passed and we can say it Friday if necessary, if you have the time. It's in your hands when you call the election, you did it long enough about it. But I want to also have a debate here on this scandalous situation throughout Tipperary of the lack of Garda numbers. It was never, ever, ever worse. The Garda that we have suffered from burnout, they do their very, very best. But the numbers are just frightening and the issues are coming up and being compounded daily. So it's alarming the exodus from the Garda, the lack of recruitment and then we don't have them on the ground to react to people when they need them. The public always support the Garda but they need their support back and the numbers don't allow them to give the support to the people that they want to give. All the officers want to do their job, several people, they're brought up to Dublin so often then when there's any demonstrations or anything on here and the country is left without Garda. Tipperary especially, it was never, ever as bad, South Tipperary, Conmel, Carrickenshire, Castle, Tipperary town and the outside areas. It's just not fair to the people. They expect the service from the Garda, the Garda want to give it but they can't, they haven't the numbers. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Firstly, I should remind the House or inform the House that today the Government appointed the first ever Ambassador from Palestine to Ireland. I think that's an important moment. I wouldn't touch-tut about that. I think it's something seen as very important by the Palestinian Authority. If you want to touch-tut about that, Deputy Pringle, that's on you. But I think the Ambassador is very pleased to have been appointed, as is the President of Palestine and the Prime Minister of Palestine and the Government of Palestine. So that's the first point to make. The second point is this. It's my understanding, Keown Khorla, that this matter will be discussed at the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee today. My understanding is that the Tornestown Minister for Foreign Affairs is attending that committee. My understanding is that with the agreement of the Chair and the sponsor of the bill, Senator Francis Black has shown huge leadership on this and very constructive engagement, by the way, and engaged intensively with the Tornestown on this. I thank her for that. My understanding is that both the Senator and the Tornestown officials, including the legal adviser to his department, will present to the committee this evening in relation to the legislation. I think that is quite important. Deputy Pringle is right on this. I certainly don't speak for the entire door, but I get the sense that there is now a consensus across government and opposition that we would like to see legislation passed in relation to this. But we would also like to see legislation passed that isn't going to fall at the first hurdle, that isn't going to fall in the European courts, that isn't going to fall. But we have to get this legislation correct. I think the appropriate way to proceed is for the Foreign Affairs Committee, where the bill will be at, to consider this issue this evening, to be briefed by the Line Minister and the sponsor of the bill to receive presentations from both, and then for that committee to advise us on how to proceed. In relation to Deputy Nocton, I can certainly… Please. Please. Can we let the Taoiseach… Let the Taoiseach respond, please. Please. I can only account to this House what I have been informed. I have been informed what I have relayed to this House by the Thornestad Minister for Foreign Affairs. That is my information. That is all I can relate to this House. In relation to Deputy Nocton, I can discuss that with the Minister, but we are not proposing making time available is the truth, because we have a lot of legislation we want to get through in the remaining days of this door. But I will ask that the Minister to engage with you on the matter, and I note your views as well. In relation to the issue of Garda numbers, Deputy McGrath appreciates the issue of Garda numbers is an important issue. That is why we have reopened Tempo more. That is why we have seen Tempo more now full of capacity. That is why we have seen more Garda recruits coming out in your own county from the Garda College every 12 weeks. Every 12 weeks, and the Government will continue its work in that area.