Paddy McHugh (Galway East, Independent)

I welcome the main provisions of this Bill, namely, the reform of the law relating to the administration and management of the Garda Síochána and, most importantly, the establishment of an independent Garda ombudsman commission. The setting up of this commission is welcome because there was a lack of confidence in the effectiveness of the Garda complaints board. That was no wonder because gardaí were investigating gardaí. Even if everything was fine and above board, the idea of gardaí investigating complaints against their colleagues was unsatisfactory. Not alone should justice be done, it should be seen to be done. The composition of the Garda complaints board, therefore, could not instil confidence in an increasingly suspicious public. These suspicions were fuelled by the revelations that emerged as a matter of course from the various tribunals. This section is welcome and the appointment of the personnel who will comprise the new commission is awaited.

Section 86, which provides for the referral of a complaint by the commission to the Garda Commissioner for investigation, is totally unacceptable because it completely undermines the establishment and independence of the proposed Garda commission. The Minister is reverting to that which he purports to change. The Garda is again being asked to investigate its own members. The Minister likes to give the impression a new independent investigation procedure is being introduced but unless the section is deleted, there will be no change.

The legislation also addresses the administration and management of the Garda, which is welcome, because many issues need to be dealt with such as the notion of returning to the old method of community policing. A number of intellectuals who know everything about everything and who have the remedies for all our ills may smirk at this notion but they do not know what they are talking about. The solution to problems such as anti-social behaviour, petty crime and intimidation of old and young citizens is to ensure more gardaí reside and are on the beat in local communities. They will have a relationship with locals to whom they can speak to obtain valuable information which can be acted on, resulting in much of the intimidation, petty crime and anti-social behaviour being stamped out and leading to a semblance of normality being returned to citizens who live in fear of young thugs. Community policing based on the old methods of policing is the solution.

A Garda Commissioner, Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform or Government who ignores the benefits of community policing does a disservice to the State. The Government made a commitment to recruit 2,000 additional gardaí before the previous general election, on which it has reneged. No amount of fudging can cover that up.

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