Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

For somebody who was in a party that 20 years ago was going to establish an independent authority, I do not think the Deputy can say that what I have done in five years is wrong.

The other point is that we are part of a Dáil that is entitled to accountability from the Garda Commissioner, who is now the Accounting Officer for the Garda Síochána. There is and will be provision in the about-to-be-formed policing committee for him to be directly amenable to questioning on the performance of the Garda Síochána by a dedicated committee of the House. That is a major step forward.

On accountability, it has been suggested by Deputy Jim O'Keeffe that it is illusory for me to say I am making resources available. I want it on the record that I have never refused a Garda Síochána application for expenditure for investment in resources.

I have made tranches of money available to the Garda, and asked if it can use it. The Commissioner is a fine man who would stand up to me and say I was letting him down financially if he thought that was the case. Neither the Department nor its Accounting Officer has ever stinted the Commissioner on money. The opposite is the case. We resource the Garda and emphasise in various ways that the resources it needs are available.

The Commissioner has loyally served the Garda and he does not think up ways to throw money around. He is careful as the Accounting Officer and I appreciate the care he shows in custody of the resources he has. It would be wrong for the House to draw the impression that I veto projects. I must tolerate the impression that anti-stab vests are not there because I say we cannot afford them.

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