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

To make the point again for the record, the Garda Commissioner was appointed by an independent process that was advertised publicly and internationally for the first time. It is important to say that and to say she came through that process and was deemed to be the best person to lead the reform and to lead An Garda Síochána so that we had and have policing for the 21st century. That is the reality of her appointment and I want to put that on the record.

In terms of what came from the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, and Gay Byrne, that was followed up and a comprehensive report came from it. My understanding is that the gardaí in the western region who were asked to look into this tried to get as much information as they could. It was an anonymous complaint so it was very difficult to pursue it. They examined the situation, they gave the facts about traffic enforcement back to headquarters and a report was put together. At that point, I went back and asked for further work to be done in regard to the issues that had emerged. Eventually, we had the audits I have been outlining.

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