Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Significant protest activity over a number of years has occurred in the north Mayo area connected with the development of a very important natural resource. This has necessitated the temporary redeployment of large numbers of gardaí, including specially trained personnel, from throughout the western region into the Belmullet district. It is deeply regrettable that so much Garda resources have had to be tied up at the north Mayo site. However, this is absolutely necessary in view of the actions of some of the protestors, many of whom, as I have said previously in respect of the matter, are not from the area and who have engaged in acts of public disorder as well as damage to property. Such action cannot be tolerated and the Garda presence is there to prevent it. In that regard, from 2011 to 2013, 38 defendants were brought before the courts for public order offences, criminal damage and assault on gardaí.

The Garda Síochána has in the past been wrongly accused of facilitating the interests of a multinational company over the interests and safety concerns of local residents. In response to these allegations it has been consistently stated by the Garda Commissioner that the aim of the policing measures currently in place is to prevent public order offences and to ensure that people can go about their lawful business. I support this policy. An Garda Síochána is duty-bound to uphold the rule of law without fear or favour and that is what local Garda management will continue to do in what is a difficult and confrontational setting which is not of the Garda Síochána's making.

I wish to inform the Deputy that the total cost of policing this issue has now reached in excess of €16 million. This does not include the significant cost of the basic salaries of the members who have performed duties at the Corrib gas project, as these arise in the normal course of their duty. This expenditure comes at a time of economic difficulty for the State and when such resources could be put to far better use elsewhere.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

With regard to the specific allegations concerning the supply of alcohol, I am informed by the Garda authorities that on 19 September the allegations were referred by An Garda Síochána to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission under section 85(1) of the Garda Síochána Act 2005. The Deputy will be aware that the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission is an independent statutory body. In these circumstances it is currently a matter for the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission to carry out its investigation and to arrive at a conclusion. The House will appreciate that I am not in a position to comment further on that matter.

On the issue of a request to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission under section 106 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, while the Garda role in the Corrib dispute has given rise to a number of complaints being made to the GSOC, it should be borne in mind that the majority of these were either found to be inadmissible or did not disclose wrongdoing on the part of the members of the force against whom complaints were made. Those complaints found to have disclosed breaches of discipline relate to matters which would not come within the remit of an examination under section 106 of the 2005 Act, that is, the practices, policies or procedures of An Garda Síochána. In the current circumstances, I do not believe an examination under section 106 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 is warranted.

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