Mr. David Joyce:

Deputy Finian McGrath's question is not directly pointed at the Irish Human Rights Commission. The commission will be taking over the functions of the Equality Authority, and Travellers and other minorities are covered by the equality legislation. It is a role for the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission in the future.

As to the question of what can change about the interaction of the Garda with minorities, particularly Travellers, mention was made of data. Given the statistics presented by the Irish Traveller Movement this morning about the lack of trust among the Traveller community towards the Garda, it would be interesting to know - it came up earlier in some of the other presentations - the complaints made against the Garda. I am not sure how GSOC collates those in terms of the background of the complainants as opposed to the nature of the complaint.

Determining whether Travellers or other minorities even have access to a complaints procedure would be interesting, as would determining whether there are ethnic data disclosed within the complaints made to and investigated by the GSOC. Obviously, it would not be a matter of presenting details of the complaint but some indication of the background of the complainants. Knowing this would give concrete evidence on the interaction with and treatment of minorities by An Garda.

I am speaking on behalf of the commission but my experience professionally and personally with the Garda over the years indicates clearly difficulties with how the Garda sees people from certain minorities. While the majority of gardaí do a professional, capable job, there is clearly a core who bring certain attitudes to service provision, as opposed to their policing requirements, that give major cause for concern.