Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

Deputy Cuffe should remember that he chose to be elected in a constituency in which he did not live. Therefore, he is not in a position to tell gardaí they must live in the area they patrol. That is a flippant remark, but I am making a deeper point. In a much more mobile society, with all the difficulties faced by younger people in getting to work etc. — the Green Party has strong views on commuting and how wasteful it is — we must deal with the reality of the real world. These difficulties cannot be wished away by a change in Garda regulations.

There is a significant danger that in many communities An Garda Síochána will not have roots in those communities. One of the ways of establishing links between gardaí and the community in which they operate is through reserve members. They are the eyes, ears and local allies of the Garda. These people from the community represent a community link and interest in the force.

I strongly believe in the idea of recruiting reserve members of the Garda. Those who are sceptical about the notion will change their minds when they reflect on it in the fullness of time. When the reserve force has been put in place, such people will consider that it strengthens, rather than weakens, the Garda to have reserve members in the community. The establishment of the reserve force will not lead to a dilution of the presence of the Garda in the community. It will concentrate the links between the force and the community.

I agree with Deputy Cuffe that there should be an emphasis on human rights when members of the Garda are being trained. One of the lessons to be learned from the Morris tribunal is that there is a need for a renewed emphasis on not infringing people's human rights. It is obvious that such a moral imperative did not exist in the minds of some people in County Donegal who were the subject of the first two modules of the Morris tribunal. I do not doubt that the House will have an opportunity to strengthen the human rights dimension of the training of gardaí. We need to re-emphasise the need for gardaí to serve the community rather than to fail to do so. I am confident that the point made by Deputy Cuffe will be dealt with. I do not think a statutory change needs to be made to the provisions which will establish the reserve force. Deputy Cuffe's point is one of general application.

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