Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

If the Attorney General receives the submission but continues to hold the position that her analysis is correct, I assume the Minister would take that guidance and continue on this course, as is the intention, but the implications are profound. We have a unique situation where the Garda is responsible for policing and security. I cannot emphasise the seriousness of that. Given the way we set up An Garda Síochána in this State, which reflected times past, we cannot take An Garda Síochána to be an independent policing service that is accountable to an independent policing mechanism. The Minister drew comparisons with Britain and the North but those comparisons are not correct because in Britain, MI5 and MI5 are accountable, as are police constabularies in different regions. That lends itself to the situation in the North also. There is a separate policing and security apparatus in the United States, which is accountable also. Our policing service will not be independently accountable because it also has responsibility for security. That is the only interpretation I can take if the Attorney General and the Minister continue to take this position. If the Minister is agreeable, I will put a submission to him when the meeting concludes. I ask him to consider it and we may be able to continue the debate on Report Stage.