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

As the Deputy will have heard my earlier response on this issue, I do not propose to repeat what has been already implemented. In regard to investment in An Garda Síochána, including new supports for information and communications technology, which, as the Deputy rightly said, are long-standing problems, owing to the change in our economic circumstances, we are now in a position to invest and support the developments that are needed. Reform is needed in certain aspects, as outlined in the report. I believe there is a need for ongoing monitoring in this area. The Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality has an important role to play in this regard.

As I said earlier, the police authority will be very cognisant of these reports and I have no doubt they will be a priority in terms of analysing how the recommendations and change programme is being managed. Changing an organisation as large as An Garda Síochána requires action on the part of many different players. However, it is primarily the responsibility of management within An Garda Síochána to respond to these reports. I believe this is being done. It is a broad-ranging task. The Garda Commissioner will publish her report and no doubt that will be considered by future justice committees. I have put in place a process through which the views are being sought of the Garda Commissioner and of other bodies to whom recommendations are directed relating to the most recent report. The timeframe for conclusion of this process is three months. That consultation process will be completed in March. I believe it will provide further guidelines to the Department of Justice and Equality and the Dáil committees in the monitoring and implementation of recommendations.

I agree that the inspectorate has done very wide-ranging work. It is now time for focus on implementation.

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