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

I am not at liberty to talk about individual cases. In fact, I am not going to make any comment as to what stage of the process some of the cases that were referred to in the RTE programme were or were not at; one could make the assumption that they were all at different stages of the process. The process is not complete. I will make a full statement when the process is complete and give all the details of the recommendations. I am accepting every recommendation that has come to me. To answer the Deputy's question, of those recommendations, there will be a percentage, and there has been already, where there are further recommendations. Those recommendations can vary from asking the Garda Commissioner, for example, to investigate a case further and to meet with families to recommending a formal report under section 41(2) of the Garda Síochána Act. If that is recommended, I will accept it. It is equally open to recommend a commission of investigation in relation to cases.

I emphasise that many of these cases go back ten, 20 and 30 years. They are historical cases that have been in the system in a variety of ways. I have set up an objective, independent process. It is totally objective. It is not a commission of investigation, rather it is a view of the written evidence that has been submitted by the complainants. As I said in the House previously, over 200 people submitted further details in relation to their complaints and that has all been taken into account in arriving at decisions.

In all instances, I am accepting the recommendations of the independent panel.

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