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

The ICCL petition was received by me and my Department. A response will issue in due course. It is something we are going through at the moment. Once the matter has been fully considered and we have gone through the report completely, we will respond.

We have to consider every incident. In the short time I have been in the Department, there have been calls for various types of public inquiry. We always have to consider the threshold of whether there is a public interest. I do not for a second seek to diminish the impact the actions of a small number of people have had on certain individuals or refuse to acknowledge the serious impact those actions have had on people's lives. The fact the criminal justice system has responded in an efficient way is important. Convictions have been overturned and there have been presidential pardons and the payment of financial settlements.

Most important, the systems and structures have changed. People want to know that that type of scenario can never happen again and the correct oversight mechanisms are in place to support someone who is being questioned by the Garda and make sure there is an appeals system and people feel they have recourse if they feel they are being treated unfairly. Significant changes have been made over the years to make sure that is the case.

In terms of a public inquiry, we need to consider what public interest is being served by opening up an inquiry. In this instance, I am not sure such a threshold has been met. Obviously, we will explore and engage with the ICCL on the petition it has brought to me. However, at this time I do not believe the threshold has been met.

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