Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 9 May 2019

Public Accounts Committee

2017 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 20 - An Garda Síochána
Chapter 7 - Management of Overtime Expenditure in An Garda Síochána

9:00 am

Mr. Drew Harris:

Forensics is one area but it is probably one of the most difficult areas because crime scene investigation requires experience and an ability to deal repeatedly with very difficult scenes in a professional and objective manner to ensure the best evidence is obtained. It is difficult work. It is an area that could be subject to workforce modernisation but we will need to think that through very carefully, in particular because it can take up to three years for an individual to be sufficiently proficient in that area. It is possible but only if we carefully think through how it might be done.