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

The Deputy still has not told us if he can identify a single action of benefit that An Garda Síochána do in the public interest.

Regarding 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, GSOC, 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 and in these circumstances it is a matter for the ombudsman commission to carry out its investigation and arrive at a conclusion. The House will appreciate that I am not in a position, therefore, 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 GSOC, it should be borne in mind that the majority of these were either found to be inadmissible or not to disclose wrongdoing on the part of the members of the force complained about. 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, on the practices, policies and 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.

In response to the Deputy I want to be clear that I expect members of An Garda Síochána to behave appropriately and to do their duty without fear or favour. Where there are issues that need to be dealt with, they will be addressed, but, unlike the Deputy, I do not labour under the illusion that the gardaí as a group do no public good, that the gardaí as a group should be under continuous attack in this House and that no recognition of any description should ever be given to them for the substantially important work they do in combating subversion on this island, dealing with criminal gangs, reducing the level of crime, providing protection for communities, giving advice with regard to crime prevention and engaging in crime investigation.

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