Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This very important sub-committee has not met since July and there are ongoing controversies and allegations about a concerted campaign within An Garda Síochána to discredit a whistleblower. We have a very senior former head of the Garda press office saying there was an organised campaign in senior Garda management to destroy the reputation of one of these whistleblowers. As I understand it, he is properly admitting his role in this and also implicating other senior managers, including, apparently, the Garda Commissioner. The Garda Commissioner has denied these claims but it is claimed that Superintendent Taylor believes the text messages on his phone will prove the existence of this campaign. That is a big issue.

I know Mr. Justice O'Neill has been appointed by the Minister to review all this but are we sure the relevant information relating to this review will be made available? In particular, will there be access to Superintendent Taylor's phone? I am sure the Taoiseach accepts that this comes on the back of ongoing controversies, as many as five reports, the resignation of a Minister and, as the Taoiseach rather eloquently put it, the retirement of a former Garda Commissioner. Does the Taoiseach accept that all of this could deter other potential whistleblowers coming forward, which is not good for Garda morale or public confidence? Will the Taoiseach give us some indication around the terms of reference for Mr. Justice O'Neill and whether he will have this information? Will he give a firm commitment to the Dáil to publish this report immediately and hold a Dáil debate on it?

There is also the big issue of the impending strike by An Garda Síochána. I welcome the news that the Minister for Justice and Equality is to fast-track the process for giving the Garda access to the Workplace Relations Commission and the Labour Court. That is good but if I understand it properly, this will require new legislation. If this report is true, when will the Government publish the legislation? Will it be put in place so there is a chance of averting this strike?

I raised the following matter consistently. We took issue with the Government retaining the power to appoint the Garda Commissioner and the deputy Garda commissioner. Under the policing Act of 2015 the Policing Authority is supposed to have responsibility for the appointment of assistant commissioners, chief superintendents and superintendents, and in May the Government appointed four of the eight vacancies at assistant Garda commissioner level. In July it appointed ten chief superintendents and 18 superintendents. The chair of the Policing Authority has told the Oireachtas Committee on Justice and Equality of her disappointment at the Government's failure to hand over the powers to appoint senior officers.

When were these decisions taken and what role does the Cabinet committee on justice reform have? These are supposed to be issues of reform and yet the Government clings to these powers, contrary to all the high-sounding rhetoric we had in the past. Will the Government pass this over to the Policing Authority and, if so, when will it do so? If not, why not?

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