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

The CSO is investigating this. After the first Garda Inspectorate report relating to crime statistics was published, I met with the CSO and discussed this issue because I was concerned about it. The good news is that it did it again the following year and reported that there were improvements. On the Deputy's question about monitoring, this is being monitored by the CSO and it has been able to say that the crime statistics should be published. That is important because their publication was suspended for a number of months while the CSO did its survey and carried out the work in this regard. When the Garda Inspectorate reported, it made many recommendations. Over 1,000 recommendations have come from the Garda Inspectorate and clearly the Garda Commissioner must respond to them.

However, we also have an independent Policing Authority and it has an oversight role regarding the implementation of the various recommendations. It meets with the Garda on a regular basis about the recommendations relating to improving the work the Garda Síochána does and to ensure various issues are identified in terms of the resources it needs. That work is now being done by an independent body outside of the Government, which is what this House wanted. It is important that we respect the work being done there as well.

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