Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)

The Labour Party also objects to the taking of this motion without debate. The Garda Síochána Bill 2004 was rushed through the House at the end of the session last July and a significant number of amendments were not addressed. The proposed commission is covered by Parts 3 and 4. The legislation proposes that the commission should have an important function and that is underpinned by the President making appointments to it. The President does not normally make appointments to boards and so on. The Government has made nominations without placing an advertisement. No specification was drafted and we do not know what qualifications, experience, training or expertise were required of the appointees. We are being asked to nod the appointments through without a debate.

The Garda Síochána Complaints Board, which was established in 1987, has been discredited — the Garda itself is the first to admit that — and that is why the commission was proposed. It is important, considering what has happened in recent years, that a proper mechanism should be implemented to give credibility to the examination of complaints about Garda activities. If the motion is rushed through, we will once again not have had the opportunity to properly assess the expertise of the appointees and the operation of the body involved. This is the first day of this session and we should begin properly by ensuring this important issue is debated.

See this speech in context