Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am not entirely familiar with the procedures in this place, but if the Garda authority is to be in place by the end of the year, I do not understand why the relevant Bill is not on the Government's legislative programme. Unless we have an independent police authority that is free of Government control and interference and can undertake constant monitoring and oversight of how the Garda Commissioner and his or her force operate, there will not be accountability for citizens. The degree of independence and power afforded to the new authority will be a litmus test for how interested this Government really is in reform.

In regard to the political appointment of the new Garda Commissioner, I welcome the Taoiseach's indication that he will wait until the police authority is in place. Will he make public the names contained on the short list that will be presented to him by the review group that is examining the applications? Will he indicate which members of Government will be involved in the selection process and the criteria that will be used? Three people are gone from the ranks of Garda management, but the whole hierarchy is still in place and nothing has really changed on the ground. If there is to be real change, we must change that hierarchy. The notion of choosing the new Commissioner from the existing hierarchy is outrageous.

See this speech in context