Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It will not come as much of a shock to anyone watching or some people here that I have a deep concern about GSOC. I will preface my remarks by saying that the structures do not help and hamstring some of GSOC's work. I have a concern about the future of policing report and the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act because what is recommended here is not what is in here but a delegation from the Department of Justice will come to see us in a few weeks and I guess that is not your fault either. I do think there are improvements but it is not what it says on the tin because the Department has always taken a pick-and-mix view as regards that report, in my opinion.

We have a recruitment and retention issue in An Garda Síochána. I represent Templemore. I know it probably better than anyone inside here, along with my Tipperary colleagues. We have a real issue and there is a deep concern about GSOC. I preface my comments with what I said earlier. The riots in Dublin manifested that concern in one night because gardaí were afraid. They were afraid to act and it is as simple as that. I know some of them and they were afraid to act. One of the reasons they were afraid to act was because of, obviously, consequences for their career. There was also a perceived zealousness when it came to GSOC and I am only expressing what members of An Garda Síochána are telling me.

I have a number of questions and I am glad that Ms Logan created the precedent earlier by referring to a specific case in April of last year. First, Deputy Catherine Murphy and I are the only two surviving members, and I do not know whether that is fortunately or unfortunately, from the previous Committee of Public Accounts.