Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I agree with everything that has been said. I believe the dispute is incredibly serious. Of course, any group of workers can take a stand when required, but essentially we have an indication from GSOC that senior gardaí are refusing to engage with it on alleged breaches of discipline within the force. I concur entirely with Deputy Murphy that this would put a serious question over how GSOC can operate in those instances. I agree with everything that has been said, including Deputy McAuliffe's proposal that we would seek clarification from the Department. While the Department is probably aware of this, I suggest that we share this correspondence with the Oireachtas justice committee, which clearly has a role in the operation of this matter. Given the overall tenor of the correspondence in considering the challenges that have been outlined by GSOC around to its ability to do its work in an effective and timely manner, as a result of the increasing complaints and other issues, we need to bring its officials before this committee as quickly as possible to tease these matters out. I am often critical of GSOC and the way it does its work, but these delays have a real impact. When GSOC spends several years investigating a particular complaint, it has wider implications. I have previously referred to the case of Shane O'Farrell. The time that GSOC took to carry out its investigation meant that every other agency and individual involved was able to say: "We cannot deal this because GSOC is conducting an inquiry." This led to several years where, essentially, nothing happened in the family's pursuit for justice. We learned last week through TheSunday TimesIreland journalist, Mark Tighe, that in the findings of GSOC in that case, the Garda Commissioner had revoked the findings of negligence in respect of two of the three gardaí who were cited. That report was telling in its omissions as opposed to its findings, and yet even those findings have not been implemented. These delays have real impacts on real people, real cases and the real pursuit of truth and justice. We need to pursue this matter further. When we are dealing with our committee work plan I will urge that we expedite our hearing with GSOC.