Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Any time I listen to a debate about the security forces I am acutely aware of the shortcomings that are outlined but, having served in the security forces, I find it stomach-churning to hear issues debated with a lack of understanding, often by people who are less than role models themselves. I am also conscious of the lack of resources across the spectrum and the fact that, as we speak, gardaí and members of the Defence Forces are working in difficult situations and putting their lives on the line at home and abroad. It is important to acknowledge that the security forces have the full backing of this House. They should not be used as a political football.

I was not going to allude to penalty points but I changed my mind after listening to Deputy Feighan, who has nearly as many penalty points as the Roscommon county football team. We recall receiving penalty points, which are always accrued because we did 31 mph in a 30 mph zone, but we never reflect on the many penalty points we did not get even though we were speeding or breaking lights. That is an inherent characteristic of Irish society, and the Members of this House are representative of Irish society. Members of this House include good, decent and hard-working people but also some rogues. It is important to realise that we are not all angels.

I am a strong believer in allowing gardaí to exercise discretion, provided it is done in a fair and practical manner. With respect to the issues that have caused controversy in recent months, Chief Inspector Olson produced a thorough report which contained a large number of recommendations. This is welcome, but how many reports have we received with recommendations that were implemented on an ad hoc basis? It is important that the Minister provide the necessary funding to implement the inspector's recommendations.

The Minister, Deputy Shatter, has been a lightening rod over the past several weeks. I do not wish to patronise him, because he does not take kindly to being patronised, but it is widely acknowledged that he is a very hard-working and reforming Minister who takes a strong interest in his portfolio. However, viewed from the outside, great effort and time appear to be spent on image, spin and producing legislation - the Minister, Deputy Shatter, is probably one of the Ministers who are least vulnerable to this accusation - and not enough attention is given to managing Departments and ensuring legislation is implemented correctly. Perhaps Ministers should concentrate on their jobs rather than running up and down the country to announce ten jobs in a burger joint or 200 jobs in a high-tech industry. I am not here to attack the media, but they put the political establishment and the Government under pressure to project a good image. The best image a Taoiseach, a Minister or anyone else can project is to do the job he or she is elected to do.

The Garda Commissioner was correct to resign because he was going to be made into a scapegoat in the coming weeks. His initial assessment was incorrect, as was the Minister's, but I am glad the Minister has chosen to apologise. I welcome the intervention by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, who I am sure is getting flack from his Cabinet colleagues. That direct, fresh-air approach is needed and it should not be used as a battering ram to attack other Ministers. It should give rise to a more open and transparent system.

If the Taoiseach instructed Secretary General of the Department of Justice and Equality on Monday to approach the Garda Commissioner regarding the issue of taped conversations, why did he not give the letter to the Minister until the middle of the following day? Why was the Minister out of the loop? Can a case be made for ministerial responsibility? Whether it is due to the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste or media pressure, Ministers getting involved in areas outside their responsibility causes difficulties and confusion, with the result that people lose sight of what is required from them.

It is important that Garda personnel be rotated to other tasks, particularly in respect of the drugs squad. Across the globe, drugs squads have been shown to be vulnerable to corruption. I ask the Minister to consider rotating staff between all areas of the Defence Forces and the Garda.

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