Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Does Mr. Finn believe the cultural problems, which are not unique to the Irish police service, are being tackled? I refer to the lack of seriousness in some instances where the view taken in cases of domestic violence and sexual assault is summarised by the attitude that it is a personal matter, time consuming and problematic and that people will sort it out between themselves. I was a bit shocked during the week when I surveyed the proceedings of the Charleton tribunal when two senior officers, albeit one retired now, referred to what was deemed by Mr. Justice O'Higgins as a serious sexual assault as the Kingscourt bus incident where a woman was groped and violated and that superintendent Cunningham and former chief superintendent Rooney did not recognise this as a sexual assault. If one senior officer said it, it might be one thing, but two senior officers saying it is a problem, particularly in view of Mr. Justice O'Higgins adjudication and the fact Mr. Justice Charleton had to pipe up and say that this incident has been established and there is no exaggeration. This reminded me of the Byrne and McGinn report where Maurice McCabe was accused of gross exaggeration by calling that a sexual assault but his analysis was upheld by Mr. Justice O'Higgins. Now even as late as last week we have two senior officers saying that was not a sexual assault at all. Mr. Finn is painting a picture that the Garda Síochána is addressing the issues but it strikes me that we have a very long way to go in terms of understanding this. If we do not understand it, it is not going to be classified properly.