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

I will try to respond to all of the Deputy's questions. First, I have had discussions with the Garda Commissioner on the most recent report. I also arranged for the Garda Commissioner, the chairperson of the police authority and members of the Garda Inspectorate to appear before the Cabinet sub-committee on justice three weeks ago for a frank and detailed discussion on the recommendations with members of that committee, including the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, and other Ministers. During that meeting we discussed implementation of the recommendations of the report, in respect of which we heard the views of the key players. It was a very useful exercise, which shows the importance of having a Cabinet sub-committee on justice, which we now have for the first time.

Second, on the police authority, the Deputy will be aware - there has been some misreporting in this regard - that members of the board of the police authority were selected through the Public Appointments Service and recommendations were made to Government. The selection process was in the first instance carried out by the Public Appointments Service.

I will meet the police authority this week and it will hold its first meeting on Friday. I will be interested to hear from the Garda Commissioner whether she agrees with the figure of 1,500 gardaí. I already heard her make some comments on it that would suggest she would like to respond on whether there are, effectively, 1,500 gardaí who could be freed up at this moment.

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