Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Taoiseach to the Seanad and compliment him on the commission of inquiry and the proposed independent police authority and open competition for the new Garda Commissioner. Mr. Justice Nial Fennelly has been appointed to the process. Of the 17 letters of the alphabet used, 15 referred to the phone issues. The Law Society has indicated that a commission of investigation must undertake a broad analysis to ascertain why the phone recordings were made and on what basis State authorities believed such recordings were lawful or warranted. How far into the system were the recordings known?

There are other aspects that must be considered, including the circumstances of the Garda Commissioner's departure and treatment of whistleblowers. The Garda Commissioner indicated he wanted to withdraw his remark about the whistleblowers but was advised from within the Department not to do so. That is a strange episode that should be examined. There is also the matter of the missing letter. A key point in the Smithwick tribunal was how two people lost their lives in Dundalk with haphazard organisation by the Garda. The fact that a letter addressed to the Minister took 15 days to reach him is important, and we must update procedures to ensure that does not happen again. We should also consider the treatment of Deputies Wallace and Clare Daly in the penalty points issue, and many aspersions were cast on the Garda force as a result. There should be a report on the matter.

There is the opportunity for a new beginning, with new recruits coming into Templemore for the first time in several years. We have the opportunity to now draw on the wisdom of Chris Patton in Northern Ireland with an independent police authority, and I hope this will be a genuine new beginning. The aspects we have discussed should be included in Mr. Justice Fennelly's inquiries. I thank the Taoiseach for what he has done, as these issues have caused serious concern around the country. We have the chance to set things right so that people can be reassured when the matters come into the open; an independent police authority will be particularly helpful, and there should be a healthier relationship between GSOC and the Garda. GSOC seems to have been dismissed but it is an agent of the wider public, so its treatment by the Garda was wrong. It has a superb tradition and a place in the hearts and minds of Irish people, but things have been going wrong in the Garda, so the Taoiseach will have the support of many in the House when he tries to put them right.