Seán Ardagh (Dublin South Central, Fianna Fail)

I am glad to have the opportunity to support the amendment to the Private Members' motion. We all recognise the widespread disquiet at the findings of the Morris tribunal into complaints against some gardaí in Donegal. We particularly understand the suffering of the McBrearty, McConnell and Peoples families. I regret, as do my colleagues in Fianna Fáil, what happened to those families. It is hoped that in the not too distant future, the Government will come to an amicable solution with those families on compensation and apologies.

Members of the Garda Síochána committed serious wrongdoing in Donegal but, having said that, we must fully recognise the great work done by the majority of gardaí who serve us well. The type of work they do for our security and safety on an ongoing basis and how they put their lives at risk on a continual basis to protect the public was enunciated to some extent by the Minister yesterday. I commend the members of the Garda Síochána on the restraint they have shown over the recent past given the difficult circumstances in which they labour.

I am delighted this Government, and the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform in particular, has brought forward reform of the Garda Síochána which has been discussed for in excess of 25 years. The root and branch change and revision of the way in which the Garda Síochána is accountable to the Executive and operates with local authorities, and the accountability of the Garda Commissioner to the committees in the House is welcome.

I also welcome the establishment of the Garda Síochána ombudsman commission, particularly the fact that it will be a threesome. This works well in the Revenue Commissioners where each of the three commissioners are equal but there is a primus inter pares with regard to the chairman. It allows the commissioners to have separate areas of responsibility. It will be a vehicle whereby the members of the ombudsman commission will be able to have responsibility for certain areas of the investigation of complaints and other jobs and at the same time come together to make important decisions. Those important decisions can then be articulated and voiced by one person who will be the chairman. It is an ideal way of working and has worked well for the Revenue Commissioners in the past. I am sure it will work well for the ombudsman commission in the future.

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