Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Micheál Martin has already raised a most distressing case. Almost a month has passed since the House debated the urgently needed reform of An Garda Síochána. The Minister will recall that the debate was a bit of a farce in that the amendment tabled by my party was carried while every other amendment and then the substantive motion itself were all defeated. As such, the Dáil ended that protracted discussion with no clearly determined decision on this urgent matter. Nevertheless, there was a sense of unity in the Chamber on a couple of points during the debate. First, there was agreement on the need to provide the Policing Authority with greater powers to require the Garda Commissioner to implement the radical reform agenda set out in the inspectorate's report. Second, there was broad agreement on the need to establish a root and branch, or Patten style, review. Unfortunately and as is so often the case in relation to justice matters, which Deputy Martin highlighted, once the spotlight disappears so does the sense of urgency.

Almost a month has passed and we have yet to see concrete results. Indeed, six weeks have passed since we learned of the huge exaggeration of the breath tests. Almost three months have passed since we agreed on the need for the establishment of the Charleton commission and the first report of such a root and branch review emerged and was agreed. I must ask for an update on the progress being made because none has been presented to the Dáil to date. There are no Garda updates on the implementation of the Garda Síochána Inspectorate's reforms. Gardaí cite work pressures which prevent them from getting around to doing this. Last week, the Policing Authority made clear its frustration at the slow rate of progress on some of the significant reforms required. The Garda Commission must act now, as must Government. A valid concern has been raised about the proposed root and branch review which is that it will delay much-needed reform. Such concerns are given legs when more and more delay is evident and the review is put off. My question is straightforward and has been asked before. When will we see an establishment date for the reform commission, details of its chair and a timeframe for its report and the bringing of proposals to the House?

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