Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom tacaíocht a thabhairt don Bhille agus aitheantas a thabhairt do na Teachtaí Dála de réir an obair iontach a dhein siad ionas go mbeadh an Bille os ár gcomhair, go háirithe an obair a dhein an Teachta Dála Wallace.

In the Chamber yesterday, I heard the opening speeches from Deputies Mick Wallace, Clare Daly and Luke 'Ming' Flanagan, who along with Deputy Joan Collins, have done most of the work to bring this Bill before the House.

At the end of the Minister's speech, however, I had to ask myself if the people in the Visitors Gallery, who had issues in the area, were reassured by what he said. In recent years, I have attended countless meetings and briefings that were distressing and disturbing. They generally concerned injustices that had been allowed to continue for many years. I also attended the meeting in the audio-visual room yesterday. I listened, appalled, to the stories by people who had had experiences with gardaí because of particular incidents involving members of their families, and their efforts to get answers, information and justice.

Their encounters with the system, including gardaí and the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, did not leave them feeling that their voices were heard, the issues were addressed or that justice had been achieved. Their stories were of Garda investigations being well below professional standards, shortcomings in Garda conduct and families forced to go to court - even to the Supreme Court - at considerable expense, in order to get information. They were simply seeking answers to genuine queries about what had happened to them or their loved ones. They have been treated very badly over quite a number of years.

It was horrific to listen to these people talking about harassment, gardaí not identifying themselves, inappropriate searches, false accusations and cover-ups. Some of this harassment, which went on in front of children, was because of what was described as collusion between certain local influential people and gardaí in the area. It was all basically impeding the course of justice.

We saw what happened in Donegal but it has certainly spread to other areas. I have been involved in one particular incident, trying to get information for a family in the inner city whose son was murdered. He was a criminal but he was their son and, like any parents, they are entitled to answers about what happened to him. So far, I have written to the Garda Commissioner, the Minister for Justice and Equality and the Garda Chief Superintendent, but I am still waiting for answers. The family have also been waiting for a number of years.

The Minister of State seems to have so much confidence in the current system, which she has outlined. The Minister is answerable to the Dáil for the Garda Síochána. The Garda Commissioner is the Accounting Officer for the Garda Síochána and in that capacity is liable to appear before the Committee of Public Accounts. Whether that is supposed to inspire confidence, I am not too sure. The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission will carry out independent investigations into Garda conduct and the Garda Síochána inspectorate. However, that system has not worked for the people who told their stories yesterday. Neither did it work for Dr. O'Flaherty or the family of Fr. Niall Molloy. In their case, they have been waiting for over 30 years.

We need impartiality, transparency and democratic accountability. Some 15 or 20 years ago, there was a very fractured relationship between the gardaí and communities in the inner city. There was no trust in the gardaí and there were serious shortcomings in their responses to crime. The gardaí then had to demonstrate that they were prepared to be responsive.

Out of that initiative, led by the late Tony Gregory, came the community policing forum, which comprises a co-ordinator and two other staff who organise meetings at which gardaí have to address the issues brought to them by the community. The issues raised range from crime to drug dealing and anti-social behaviour. The forum also provides for meetings held in confidential settings aided by the staff, at which gardaí must answer questions. This has led to trust in the Garda Síochána by the community.

What is proposed in this Bill is in the best interests of those hard-working, honourable gardaí who are equally appalled at what has been going on in certain sections.

See this speech in context