Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not envisage any great change in the structure of the Cabinet sub-committees. Personnel will change because some Ministers have changed. I find the Cabinet sub-committee structure a good way to force things onto the agenda so that matters that might have been hanging around for a long time can be concluded.

I agree that the Acting Commissioner of An Garda Síochána is doing a remarkable job in the sense of being open, very different and engaging with different groups. She has visited many Garda stations and has invited gardaí to give her their views of the force and so on. I also note her comments that people with a different voice or view are quite entitled to have their say. That is a very commendable way to restore morale to the Garda force, which is very important for us.

I do not want to speak for the Minister for Justice and Equality. Every Minister is entitled to a period of engagement and reflection in respect of his or her working arrangements with any Secretary General of a Department. I am sure the Minister for Justice and Equality will speak on that in due course.

Deputy Higgins's contention that no redress is available in the justice system and lives have been ruined as a result is true in more than one sector. That is why the Government has moved to change the responsibilities of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, set up an independent Garda authority and put in place an independent structure for the appointment of a suitable person as Garda Commissioner. It is clear that when the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission is revamped and reorganised, the public and the gardaí themselves will have a different opportunity to see that things are as they should be.

I will reflect on what Deputy Adams has said about an important element of engaging directly with communities. It might be appropriate to go through the process with the independent authority, which can look at engaging with communities depending on how they see that engagement taking place. When we examine the recommendations for the process, procedure and structure of the independent statutory authority at next week's meeting, we will consider whether it would be better to do it before or after. Clearly, it is important to engage with the public, which is what the interim commissioner is doing. It is all about engagement with people. If the issues that have been raised over the years are to be dealt with, the public must believe in the integrity and credibility of this professional force and know that it is acting professionally in the duties it has to carry out.

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