Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

As the Commissioner knows, PULSE is for the Garda what the children's hospital is to others. I believe he can get to grips with the system, and I know he will revert to the committee with further information. The issue of tendering arises here. The Minister and the Commissioner's predecessor gave the committee commitments arising from the problems with the Garda internal audit into the procurement breaches for the Accenture contract. We were told there was a new process under way and that those contracts would be re-tendered. I have checked all the websites and I could not see any re-tendering, other than for the roster system, which is completely separate. I am worried that the Garda paid €7.7 million in 2017 for 49 IT staff from Accenture. It worked out that, on average, the Garda was paying €157,000 per head for Accenture staff. Some of those jobs are just routine maintenance. It would be good to cover that issue.

Deputy Wallace asked if there had been a change in policy regarding a garda who is the subject of a criminal allegation or investigation and whether he or she would be automatically suspended. The answer was not clear. In such circumstances is suspension automatic? What is the threshold in that regard?