Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this question. As he will be aware, the Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill, which has completed its pre-legislative scrutiny, will provide for a reformed and strengthened Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission in line with the recommendations of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, which is obviously a significant body of work conducted over the past number of years.

The proposals in the Bill are comprehensive.

They address the structures, independence, remit, and processes and procedures of GSOC.

The body will have greater financial independence through its own Vote for the first time. It will have a new CEO, who will assume the responsibility of the Accounting Officer and allow the ombudsman and deputy ombudsman to focus on directing investigations and oversight work. Its remit will also be expanded to include allegations that come to light other than by way of a complaint from a member of the public. It will, for the first time, be responsible for the investigation of all complaints, other than minor service level complaints, which will be referred to An Garda Síochána for resolution. Members of An Garda Síochána will no longer investigate complaints on behalf of the new body.

The processes and procedures, described by the commission itself as cumbersome and inefficient, will be streamlined to support the timely, transparent and effective resolution of complaints and investigations. The rights of members of An Garda Síochána personnel to fair procedure and natural justice will be fully respected within the new procedures. The oversight and accountability of the body will also be strengthened in a number of ways. For example, complainants will have a right to seek a review of certain decisions. The scope of the judicial inquiry that may be undertaken into the conduct of a designated officer at present will be extended to include all officers of the ombudsman, the ombudsman and deputy ombudsman, and the policies and procedures of the office. Many of these reforms have been sought by GSOC itself and have been the subject of extensive consultation with GSOC and the Garda Commissioner. As the Deputy will be aware, they have also been the subject of detailed consideration by the Joint Committee on Justice during the pre-legislative scrutiny process. I received the committee’s report recently. We are going through that in great detail and my officials are examining its recommendations to identify what further refinements might be required to the Bill in the course of drafting to ensure this major overhaul of policing delivers a system that enhances transparency and efficiency and, above all, has the confidence of complainants, An Garda Síochána and the wider public.

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