Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to launch straight into my questions, if possible. I thank the witnesses for being here. First, I do not agree with calls for Commissioner Harris or the Minister to be sacked or to have to resign. I think those making such calls are cashing in on tragedy and chaos. However, I think the effectiveness of the role of Commissioner merits critique and indeed some criticism under different lenses.

At the moment, 113 gardaí are suspended throughout the country. Some 130 gardaí in the Limerick division were interrogated. Their laptops and mobile phones were seized. This all relates to the squaring of road traffic fines. Some of them found themselves graduating from Templemore straight into initial suspicion and investigation. Some of that is fine; it is operational stuff. However, it is not fine when more than six gardaí have been suspended for more than four years and one garda has been suspended for almost ten years. They are all suspended with pay. There are enough gardaí at the moment suspended-----