I concur totally with the views of the Leader and Senator Marc MacSharry on the late John Carty who served with us in this House and the other. He was a wonderful character; God be good to him.

I commend Deputy David Stanton and all the members of the justice committee for their wonderful hearing yesterday on community courts. It is a very good idea and has the total backing of the Dublin business community. I am sure all fair-minded people tuned in to what happened yesterday. Unfortunately, we were very busy in this House and many of us did not have the opportunity to witness the proceedings. I am sure Senator Ivana Bacik and some other members of the committee would have wished to have been present. I was very much taken by the view of Mr. Justice Michael Reilly, the Inspector of Prisons, who made some telling points. There was a spokesman from New York. The three previous mayors of New York have totally backed the concept. I will not say it has worked wonders in New York, but it has brought about improvements. It puts judges in dialogue with the offenders, and reasonable arrangements are worked out. I believe from talking to those concerned that community courts greatly reduce the level of reoffending. It is well worth trying. The idea has the backing of the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Alan Shatter, and I commend it to the House. It is worthy of the support of us all and I wish it well.