Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Thank you, we will do that. No. 642B from Ms Mary Ellen Ring, Chair of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, dated 10 June 202, is a response to our request for further information in relation to the workload and resourcing of GSOC. It is clear from the correspondence that GSOC’s workload is increasing but there has not been a corresponding increase in personnel. It has raised this with the committee a few times. GSOC currently has 40 investigators and is of the view that its staffing “is not in line with other Civil Service departments or agencies.” GSOC generally welcomes the general scheme of the proposed policing, security and community safety Bill, which will bring certain matters into the sphere of performance management and no longer will require a formal GSOC investigation but notes that the general scheme will also increase its mandate to over 17,000 personnel. GSOC believes that insufficient resourcing is not conducive to efficient investigations and will result in a “loss of faith in the general public in meaningful garda oversight”. That is cause for concern.

While an examination of the general scheme will be a matter for the Joint Committee on Justice, I have concerns regarding the resources available to GSOC to deliver an efficient service. I propose that we note and publish this item, request GSOC’s consent to forward this correspondence to the Minister for Justice and request a response to the matters raised. I will open the matter to the floor before seeking agreement on that proposal. Deputy Matt Carthy has flagged this issue for discussion.