Helen McEntee says Sinn Féin cannot be trusted with criminal justice system

Justice minister in blistering attack on members of the opposition

Justice Minister Helen McEntee accused Mary Lou McDonald's party of spending "decades defending and supporting attacks on our State and our criminal justice system — supporting those who murdered gardaí".

Sinn Féin cannot be trusted with the criminal justice system, Justice Minister Helen McEntee has said.

Ms McEntee launched a blistering attack on members of the opposition party, claiming they continue to "sit on their hands" when it comes to decisions of huge significance.

During a debate on the continuation of the Offences Against the State Act, which covers the operation of the Special Criminal Court, Ms McEntee said it is absolutely imperative that we do not do anything to undermine the efforts of the authorities with responsibility for countering paramilitary and criminal groups and protecting communities.

She accused Mary Lou McDonald's party of spending "decades defending and supporting attacks on our State and our criminal justice system — supporting those who murdered gardaí".

"Sinn Féin cannot be trusted with our criminal justice system. It can only be trusted with finding itself an excuse not to do the right thing."

Ms McEntee said an amendment tabled "is a merely another excuse from Sinn Féin to justify sitting on its hands once more on a hugely significant vote for the criminal justice system".

The amendment called on the minister to implement the recommendations of the independent review as soon as possible instead of continuing with the Criminal Justice Act in its current form.

Th majority report of the expert review group, published last week, found that a new and “improved” permanent non-jury court should replace the existing Special Criminal Court, with tighter laws over its use.

Ms McEntee told the Dáil that she has asked her officials to begin detailed consultations on the findings of the reports of the review group.

"I do not think it would be appropriate given how we are dealing with pillars of the criminal justice system, which have served us well, to give a commitment to legislation without full consideration of the issues," she said of Sinn Féin's amendment.

"As minister for justice, I have too much respect for An Garda Síochána, the DPP, and the courts to do so. I must first consult with those authorities and others to inform a substantive response for consideration by Government."

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However, calling for the immediate adoption and implementation of the recommendations made by the expert review group, Sinn Féin's justice spokesperson Pa Daly said the emergency legislation was introduced in an "era of executions and military tribunals".

"Nobody can argue with any substance that the circumstances that gave rise to the introduction of this emergency legislation exist today," he said.

He hit out at the lack of urgency from Government, stating that there is "no desire to grasp the baton from the review committee and to carry it along to the final lap to legislation to improve, to renew and to modernise" the Special Criminal Court.

Fellow Sinn Féin TD Martin Kenny said we are now in a "different Ireland" and the Government needs to recognise this by overhauling how the Special Criminal Court operates.

Social Democrat TD Catherine Murphy said much of the media attention will be on "who will vote for and against and who will abstain" on the vote on Thursday afternoon, but she said the recommendations of the review group cannot be ignored.

"If the SCC is to stay in any form, we need to consider very seriously what the circumstances are that would permit this and what are the absolute checks and balances that are needed," she said.