Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am grateful for the opportunity to briefly comment on the report of Mr. Justice Cooke. On 26 February last, 286 gardaí were operating in County Louth. They cover the entire county and are located in 13 stations, including Dundalk Garda Station, which has 120 staff members, and Drogheda Garda Station, which has 93 members. Before commenting on the Cooke report, I place on record my respect for members of An Garda Síochána, especially those in County Louth who protect and serve our community. The 286 gardaí in the county deserve full respect given the level of work they do to make neighbourhoods significantly safer and their attention and support.

I also wish the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, well in her new role. She has been appointed to a challenging Department, on which I am sure she will bring her expertise to bear. I hope she is successful in that role and I look forward to working with her to ensure the justice system operates satisfactorily in County Louth and beyond.

I will make a number of points on foot of the publication of the Cooke report. Overall, the Government's credibility in recent months in respect of the functioning of the justice system has evaporated. There appear to be a number of unanswered questions, including the role, if any, the Taoiseach played in the resignation of the Garda Commissioner.

Mr. Justice Cooke states in paragraph 15 of his conclusions: "[I]t is ultimately extremely difficult to determine with complete certainty whether unexplained anomalies of the kinds identified in this instance were or were not attributed to unlawful intrusion." The report also vindicated the actions of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission in stating that "the investigating officers and the members of the [Garda Síochána Ombudsman] Commission acted in good faith" in investigating the alleged bugging of their offices. This conclusion undermines the criticism made by the former Minister, Deputy Shatter, of the commencement of the investigation.

The closure of rural police stations, which is a significant worry, constitutes another attack by the Government on rural Ireland. Coupled with the closure of a number of post offices and the lack of support and resources for the Leader programme, it is obvious that there is an urban-rural divide, and rural areas need to be represented and respected.

I urge the Taoiseach and the Minister to respond urgently to the Cooke report by reviewing the role of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission to make it more transparent. It is also necessary to strengthen and extend the power and remit of the Ombudsman.

We have not been given answers to a number of questions. Was the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission bugged and, if so, who bugged it and for what reason? Why did GSOC decide not to report the matter to the Minister and Garda Síochána? These questions need to be answered and responsibility for doing so rests with the Taoiseach. I urge and implore the Taoiseach to take action to ensure the Garda Síochána, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission and the Department strengthen their relations and do what they have been appointed to do.

According to the mission statement of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC "will be an active driver of ever-improving police accountability". Greater interaction and trust between the relevant bodies is required and they must work together to achieve the common goal of serving and protecting our communities.

Serious questions remain about the Government's handling of this controversy. Before any investigation was conducted and without any knowledge of whether GSOC had been bugged, the Government made every attempt possible to dismiss the very serious concerns raised by GSOC and others. Instead of seeking the truth, the Government's reaction to this controversy was to dismiss the concerns entirely, undermine the office of the independent Garda watchdog and attempt to manipulate the reporting of this issue.

The lack of communication between all parties is quite worrying. Now, more than ever, they need to work together. The security of our towns and villages is of upmost importance. I know from first-hand experience the level of professionalism there is within An Garda Síochána in County Louth. Due to the fact that ours is a Border county, considerable pressure is put on the Garda Síochána's resources. The level of co-operation between An Garda Síochána and the PSNI is playing a significant role in co-ordinating policing in the Border counties.

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