Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 34:

In page 109, to delete line 17 and substitute the following: "(d) to carry out, at its own initiative or at the request of the Minister, inspections in relation to any particular aspects of the operation and administration of An Garda Síochána relating to policing services (including in relation to adherence to human rights standards and cooperation with other public service bodies to enhance community safety) and make recommendations to the Garda Commissioner or the Minister, as the case may be, for any action that the Authority considers desirable;".

This amendment relates to inspections. The proposal is that the authority would be able to carry out, at its own initiative or at the request of the Minister, inspections in regard to any particular aspects of the operation and administration of An Garda Síochána relating to policing services. The general scheme of the Bill referred to a power to carry out such inspections, with specific reference to human rights standards and co-operation with other public service bodies to enhance community safety. That provision should be reintroduced. There is provision in the Bill for inspections but it should specifically include adherence to human rights standards. This was recommended by representatives of some of the bodies who contributed to pre-legislative scrutiny in order to strengthen the inspection role of the authority. In our submission to the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, we opposed the abolition of the Garda Inspectorate. This amendment attempts to give it more powers once it is folded in under the authority.

See this speech in context