Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

We appreciate the Ceann Comhairle's advice. We are very aware of our responsibilities in that regard and anything we say can be fully backed up.

This country stands at a crossroads in the context of the future operation of An Garda Síochána. We have been informed that the resignation of the former Minister, Deputy Shatter, was triggered by the Guerin report. We have not seen that report but the Taoiseach has indicated that it is incredibly lengthy. We are aware, however, that the report contains allegations of grave Garda malpractice and failure to investigate serious crimes. The latter led to appalling tragedies for families throughout the State. Those families have still not obtained justice. The report also deals with the horrendous treatment of the man, Sergeant Maurice McCabe, who tried to blow the whistle and shine a spotlight on these issues.

It is ironic that as the Taoiseach announced the departure of the former Minister, Deputy Shatter, yesterday, Sergeant McCabe's complaint against senior officers in respect of bullying and intimidation was being heard. Sergeant McCabe continues to be denied access to the PULSE system, which is preventing him from doing his job. There is an irony in that because when Sergeant McCabe originally made the allegations which lie at the heart of the Guerin report more than five years ago, he was dismissed, ridiculed, vilified and transferred out of the station where he worked. The people inside An Garda Síochána who originally investigated those allegations are still there and they occupy positions in the upper echelons of the organisation. This is a serious problem and the idea that An Garda Síochána can be reformed with any of those who currently hold the rank of assistant commissioner or above remaining in place defies logic. Our experience is that allegations similar to those made by Sergeant McCabe have been made elsewhere throughout the country. There are particular areas in which there are major problems with regard to the operations of the Garda. I refer to Limerick, west Cork, Tullamore and so on in this regard.

I do not believe that the former Minister, Deputy Shatter, resigned on foot of just the Guerin report. His resignation was the result of a long litany of serious issues being mishandled. Deputy Shatter made consistent efforts to downplay and minimise people's grave concerns and engaged in repeated attempts to denigrate those who tried to raise particular issues. In that context, I refer not just to Members of this House but also to the whistleblowers, GSOC and others. Two commissions of investigation are about to be established. There is potential for a third to come into play as a result of the findings of the Cooke report. The latter is probably the most serious report of all, particularly as it relates to the bugging of GSOC. We must ask whether establishing multiple commissions to investigate various matters represents the way forward. I bear no personal animosity towards the former Minister, Deputy Shatter, and I have no preconceived notions with regard to how his successor, Deputy Fitzgerald, is going to operate. This matter does not relate to individuals, rather it is about whether the Fine Gael Party has an appetite to deal with reform.

Up until now it has not and members backed the former Minister in every failed effort made by him to down-play and minimise. We need a root and branch review of An Garda Síochána for the first time in the history of the State to develop a modern police service, not a police force, that will operate in a transparent and accountable way to deal with those who are still suffering from the crimes of the past and point to a better way for the future.

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