Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the two witnesses for being here and for presenting their statement. As mentioned previously, public confidence, transparency and oversight are key to what the authority is trying to achieve in the context of the process of reform within An Garda Síochána. I was slightly alarmed when Ms Feehily mentioned collaborative co-operation around the policing plan. I would like her to detail what that involves. As a statutory authority of governance and oversight, how has she ensured that the authority has a process of governance and independence? If the authority is engaging and co-operating at that level, how can it properly, review, monitor and provide that system of oversight for its policing plan? Is there a conflict at an organisational and governance level? What is the authority doing to ensure that does not occur or that issues around that do not occur in terms of public confidence in that critical engagement? Ms Feehily might respond to those questions.

I raised a question with Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring when she appeared before the committee last week about the annual report of Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, which contains 36 recommendations on systemic and management issues in An Garda Síochána. In the vast majority of cases some were not responded to at all and some were forwarded or acknowledged but there was no detailed response or feedback around the actions taken on foot of that. Ms Feehily mentioned the follow-through aspect. Has she engaged with Garda senior management and the Commissioner to ensure that happens in terms of what GSOC has advocated. What emerged from what we heard last week is that it finds itself constrained by the legislation and by its lack of empowerment in terms of implementation. The authority's role in that respect is important.

In the context of the authority's strategy, Ms Feehily mentioned a community-focused approach and performance indicators around that. I have seen the haemorrhaging of gardaí in community policing locally, and I am sure the authority's engagements with the joint policing committees have illustrated that. That needs to be actively addressed. Also, some counties have no drug units. We have seen an increase in drug-related crime recently. The issue of certain counties not having drug units needs to be addressed at a policing level, as there is a vacuum there.