Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I publicly apologise for the fact there was confusion last Wednesday. Deputy Kelly put down this issue for last Wednesday but I was not here through some confusion in the office.

To answer the Deputy's question directly, I am not aware of the December 2016 report he referred to, which was commissioned by the OPW and the State Claims Agency, in respect of asbestos in Garda stations. However, I am fully aware that very many stations in this country need to be refurbished and upgraded. Last Monday, I was in Castlepollard Garda station with Deputy Troy to look at the station there. It is clearly a station that is archaic. It needs to be modernised. I am sure that is also the case in respect of other stations throughout the country.

Deputy Kelly raised the issue, which is his primary concern and is obviously also of concern to me, of the safety of people working within An Garda Síochána stations, whether they are attested members of An Garda Síochána or Garda staff. Everyone who is working is entitled to ensure that they are working in a safe work environment. I would be extremely concerned if it were the case that they were not working in a safe environment. I will go back and look at the report in respect of what the Deputy raised. Obviously, the concern is an individual within An Garda Síochána getting ill as a result of the presence of asbestos. Fortunately, that has not been brought to my attention as of yet and, hopefully, that is not the case. It is certainly the case when it comes to older buildings throughout the country, I regret to say, that very many of them have asbestos. It was a material that was perceived as being acceptable many decades ago. This is not just an issue that is of concern to An Garda Síochána. It has a broader concern.

I note what the Deputy said in respect of how we will be able to defend any claims. As of yet, I am not aware, and if the Deputy is he might bring it to my attention, of any claims that have been instituted by retired or current members of An Garda Síochána claiming that they sustained injuries as a result of the presence of asbestos in Garda stations. If that is the case, it would obviously be a serious matter from the point of view of both An Garda Síochána and the State. The Deputy mentioned that the State Claims Agency indicated in a subsequent report from 2017 that if it was the case it would be difficult to defend any such claims. I cannot comment in respect of that, but it is certainly the case that if claims were put in and there was liability on the part of the State, I would then ask that the State, in line with the Attorney General's guidelines, would adopt a very principled approach to that. For any member of An Garda Síochána who sustained an injury, which was caused as a result of the known presence of asbestos in the building that exposed that Garda to danger, there would then have to be a liability on the part of the State for that.

The Deputy also mentioned the asbestos directive. I am not trying to diminish my responsibility but I am conscious there are a lot of issues on my desk in respect of An Garda Síochána. The Deputy raised an issue from 2016. I will look at the report, but ensuring that the directive is transposed into Irish law is an obligation we have under European law. We would have to ensure that it is complied with. I will inquire what the level of safety in An Garda Síochána is, but I have not got direct complaints in respect of concerns that members of An Garda Síochána have from working in the stations. I have met the GRA on many occasions. In fact, I met a representative of the GRA last Monday. It is the case that this issue has not been brought to my attention, but I will look at the report. I thank the Deputy for bringing it to my attention.

See this speech in context