I can inform the Deputy that consultation has been central to the development of the White Paper on Crime and was principally structured around four discussion documents. As part of this process my Department has consulted extensively across Government, non-Governmental and community sectors, as well as with individual members of the public. Consultation has taken place both through seminars and written submissions in response to advertisements for submissions. Over the course of the White Paper process, some 650 people attended consultation meetings and 182 submissions were received. Documents summarising the outcomes of each of the four consultation stages of the process are published on the Department's website www.justice.ie and include lists of those organisation and individuals who made written submissions.
I can confirm that work on the development of a White Paper on Crime is at an advanced stage and is expected to be completed this year.