Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)

The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, by its own admission, is inadequately resourced to deal with the volume of complaints it receives and, consequently, the level of work it is required to do in response. In addition, the office is excessively dependent on the Garda to investigate complaints and does not have sufficient independent staff at its disposal to carry out its work. Sinn Féin argued strongly during the debate on the legislation establishing the Garda Ombudsman Commission that the new body should be independent and properly funded.

The change in policing as part of the peace process in the Six Counties is almost universally praised and many positive developments have taken place, including the establishment of an ombudsman to oversee the PSNI. The State would do well to emulate many of the practices operating in the Six Counties. We should ensure the Garda ombudsman has similar powers, is independent of the body it is tasked with investigating and has sufficient resources to carry out its work.

The events in County Donegal investigated by the Morris tribunal were wrong, as every Member who believes in upholding the integrity of the Garda will agree. The events I refer to in County Kerry were also wrong. Last Saturday, at a public Sinn Féin convention in the Earl of Desmond hotel in Tralee attended by 390 people, two members of the special branch videoed and photographed everyone entering and leaving the event. It is unacceptable that a public assembly of a legal, registered political party should be subject to this type of political intimidation. Unfortunately, it was done in the name of the Minister and it is his responsibility to address the matter. The events which took place in County Donegal and other areas must not be repeated.

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