Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

I have no information about private security companies vetting traffic on main roads. On the matter raised by the Deputy about the allegations in respect of Garda conduct towards two young women, it is incorrect to say they were directly subjected, as the Deputy put it, to obscene language, but there are allegations of an event occurring in the context of gardaí travelling in a car in which those arrested were not present and which was recorded on a video device.

This matter was brought to the attention of the Garda Commissioner last Monday. A superintendent was appointed to conduct inquiries and the Commissioner sent me a report on the matter this morning, in accordance with his responsibilities under section 41(1)(b) of the Garda Síochána Act 2005. A copy of that report has also been forwarded to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, which is carrying out its own inquiry into the matter. It is the appropriate independent body to carry out such an inquiry.

Without prejudice to the investigation of the Ombudsman Commission, the Garda Commissioner has informed me that he has arranged for four of the five members of the Garda Síochána identified in the superintendent's report to be transferred from their current stations to Castlebar station and confined to indoor duties in the interests of the service. The fifth garda is being confined to indoor duties in Castlebar station, which is his current station.

As the Garda Síochána Ombudsman inquiry is continuing, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further on the detail of the specific incident as Minister for Justice and Equality. However, I acknowledge that the Garda Commissioner has acted swiftly in dealing with the issue. Remarks of the kind reported are completely unacceptable when made by any group of people, whether made publicly or privately, and, in particular, are not acceptable when made by a member of the Garda Síochána.

It is a matter of regret to me, but not surprise, that some people have used this most regrettable and unfortunate incident to bolster a campaign of vilification against the Garda Síochána in which they have engaged since the start of the Corrib protests. The strategy appears to be simple: to harass the Garda as much as possible to impair its capacity to do its job in the hope this will frustrate the building of the pipeline. While not minimising the nature of the incident involved, nor condoning it, it is in the public interest that I state clearly my belief that the vast majority of the members of the Garda Síochána have behaved in an exemplary manner in policing the protests in Corrib and they will continue to do so.

The members of the Garda are not there through choice. They are there in the public interest to uphold the law. Their presence is, unfortunately, necessary because of the nature of the protests taking place. They are in a difficult and confrontational setting which is not of their own making and, as I mentioned earlier, the Garda operation in this location has so far cost the taxpayers in excess of €14 million.

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