Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The legislation is about accountability and proving accountability. We have heard how the Garda Síochána Act came about as a result of the Morris tribunal and investigations that were carried out by Mr. Justice Morris in my county of Donegal. The interesting point about the tribunal is how the subsequent narrative confined the problem to Donegal. The view was that it was only in Donegal that such things were happening and that up there we are different and things go wrong. That was the narrative that was propagated by officialdom and by those with the power to make things happen. Families around the country could relate similar issues to what happened in Donegal to which they never been able to get answers or that have never been properly investigated.

The key issue relates to giving an organisation too much power. If any one of us in this House were given unlimited power the tendency would be to abuse it. That is natural. We must all be accountable and be held accountable. That is the objective of the Bill. The Bill provides for the setting up of a Garda Síochána independent board with the task of promoting respect for human rights within the Garda Síochána. That is something we should have across society. Departments should work on the same basis of respecting the human rights of all citizens.

The Bill seeks, rightly, to strengthen the power and independence of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. That should have been the case from the outset without having to introduce amending legislation to make it happen. The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission should be able to initiate its own investigations. It is vitally important that serving gardaí should not form part of the commission’s investigative staff. The commission should also have mandatory supervision of gardaí investigating themselves. That cannot continue. All the good gardaí who are working hard and doing their best to serve their communities deserve that, as well as the citizens of Ireland.

See this speech in context