Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I commend my colleague, Deputy Jim O’Callaghan, for bringing forward the motion. In the wake of issues concerning the fixed charge penalty system and 1 million non-existent breath tests, the level of public concern has risen rapidly, while confidence has diminished to unprecedented levels. It is our responsibility as public representatives to do what we can to restore and rebuild public trust in An Garda Síochána. It is important to remember that we are discussing an institution which plays a vital role in Irish society. I strongly believe the vast majority of gardaí are honest and hard-working individuals who genuinely signed up to serve their country and improve the communities they protect. There are many gardaí, from those on the beat to those who are long retired, who served for decades with distinction and honour to the highest moral standards. However, there is clearly a collective failure at the heart of the way we are policing the country. The Garda Commissioner, Ms Nóirín O’Sullivan, stated the scandals were "at best, incompetence and, at worst, deception." Unfortunately, 146,865 summonses for motor offences sent in error and nearly 1 million falsified breath tests do not point toward incompetence; rather, they point towards the systemic falsification of records and wide-scale deception. This poisonous culture needs to be identified and eradicated before the public’s confidence in An Garda Síochána can be properly restored.

Our motion is aimed at expanding and strengthening the powers available to the Policing Authority to hold the force to account and ensure we will achieve and maintain the highest possible standards. We have recently published legislation to empower the authority to supervise the functioning of the Garda Commissioner’s office and the discharge of these functions by the Commissioner. The legislation would allow the authority to oversee the performance by An Garda Síochána of its functions relating to policing services and to establish policies and procedures for An Garda Síochána which would be binding on all members of the force. A further provision would give the Garda Inspectorate the power to make unannounced inspections at any Garda station or premises. The new Bill would also require the Commissioner to inform the Policing Authority of any event which might require an internal audit. Such measures would ensure the authorities we deem responsible for policing the police force would have the power to do their jobs effectively. I ask the Government to seriously consider our motion. I reiterate my support for the new commission to be established to review An Garda Síochána and its workings. We owe it to every member of the force, both past and present, who conducts his or her policing business to the highest ethical and moral standards in the community he or she serves to restore public confidence in An Garda Síochána.

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