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

On cultural change, I obviously rely on the answers given to questions I ask and the reports I get from An Garda Síochána. Looking back at the controversy in regard to penalty points, the Garda involved Sergeant McCabe in that process. Also, based on the information I have on the position in regard to Sergeant McCabe, I believe the cultural change Deputy Howlin mentioned is in place. I feel that every effort is being made by An Garda Síochána to ensure that cultural change is in place for Sergeant McCabe and other whistleblowers.

On the question of my predecessor, I was pleased to see in the report that my Department had acted properly at all times in handling the issues that came before it. It was precisely in order to establish those facts that the commission was set up. We had a preliminary report from Seán Guerin, which was a scoping report and not one in which there were findings of fact. If the recommendations from that report had not been acted upon as he envisaged we would not have the outcome we have now.

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