Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy makes a big assumption in stating the independent review group has not made any serious recommendations. I do not know how she could possibly make that assumption as she does not have all the facts. It is open to the group to make a recommendation, the seriousness of which will be judged in the first instance by the complainants who submitted the information. As I stated, in more than 200 cases, the complainants submitted extra information.

The recommendations are, in the assessment of the independent panel, a potential way forward for dealing with the cases in a more satisfactory manner, dealing with unanswered questions or making recommendations for further investigations, including very serious investigations under section 41(2) of the Garda Síochána Act. I consider such recommendations to be serious. I have not yet published the outcome in all the cases because the process is not complete. Inevitably, the group assessing the cases will make a variety of recommendations. It was always intended to assess all the information and see what recommendations would emerge.

The process has taken longer than anticipated because we accepted more than 300 cases and, as I indicated, they are highly varied. Some of them date back 30 years, some are more recent, others have been through the courts and decisions have been the subject of decisions in the courts, while others arise from decisions made by the Director of Public Prosecution and Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. There is, therefore, significant complexity involved. I am accepting the recommendation in all cases where there is scope for a recommendation to be made to me that would help deal more effectively with the complainant's circumstances.

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