Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I think we all recall the Garda Commissioner giving the information on this case. The committee subsequently received a letter stating that there was an error in his response to us. Whether he was before this committee or whether the information was given by way of correspondence, that certainly happened. Obviously, the Commissioner did not get the correct information internally from the people who were advising him. It strikes me - and this may not be a matter for this committee to discuss - that to carry out an exit survey with one's immediate supervisor is not the way to go. We certainly have to ask about the process used in this regard. If there is to be a change in culture, we have to make it possible for people to be honest and frank in exit surveys. That seems very obvious. If something is subject to a criminal investigation, the committee would have no business having a discussion about it, but we need to know if that is the case.

Gardaí are involved in a very dangerous job and some of them will be out on sick leave. One would expect to see that. Let us say there are allegations that there are a small number who have altered medical certificates. Would the various allowances apply while they are out sick? It is not at all clear what that would have amounted to in terms of the payments individuals have received. In the Civil Service people are paid a certain amount, but with certain other grades, such as garda, soldier or whatever, very often allowances make up a large proportion of their income. It would be useful to find out if people on sick pay lose their allowances.

Deputy Cullinane is right about separating out the reasons a disciplinary code would be used, when it is used and when matters go beyond the code. That is not clear from this correspondence. I am not sure whether this is a matter for the committee to discuss but it is difficult to ask another committee to follow up on something on which we have opened up a dialogue. We should close that off before we decide what to do with this.