Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

95. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to implement the recommendations contained within the recently published Garda Inspectorate Report on Crime Investigation. [43957/14]

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I want to probe how the Minister will implement the recommendations in the Garda Inspectorate report. Has the Minister established the criminal justice working group as this is a previous recommendation of the Garda Inspectorate? It appears the Garda Inspectorate asked the Minister to establish this entity and the Minister stated in the Dáil that she has done so. Is this correct? The most recent Garda Inspectorate report again calls on the Minister to establish the criminal justice working group.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Last week I published the report of the Garda Inspectorate and welcomed its analysis as providing the foundation stone for the future development of a 21st century policing service for Ireland. The report acknowledges the dedication and commitment of members of An Garda Síochána and notes that many of the issues raised have been identified in other police forces. The report makes many recommendations and one of the key ones relates to the establishment of an expert group. However, there are also recommendations relating to the establishment of around 16 other groups and I must carefully examine them to find the best way forward to manage the implementation process. Clearly, there will also be a role for a police authority and I intend to establish the group mentioned by the Deputy very shortly.

I need to consider the membership of the group. Certain recommendations were made and I will examine a range of other questions in establishing the group which I will establish shortly.

Other areas where we are taking action which reflects some of the work done in the Garda Inspectorate's report include the independent policing authority and strengthening the powers of GSOC. The Cabinet has indicated that there will be a role for the Cabinet sub-committee on justice reform also. I understand this is the first time a Government has had a Cabinet sub-committee on justice. It is important to have this mechanism to oversee the changes that we are implementing. It is a useful one to have. The Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, other Cabinet members and I are involved and it will help to oversee the reforms outlined in the Garda Inspectorate's report.

I wish to make a point about statistics following a report today in TheIrish Timeson the Central Statistics Office. I met the director and some of his staff to discuss what is stated in the report. I asked them for their best thinking on how we should move forward. They suggested, particularly in respect of the reclassification issue whereby the figure is 8% in Ireland and 4% elsewhere, that they would examine all 1 million entries on the PULSE system. Obviously, they are keen to ensure there has been no contamination of the statistics and that they are accurate. They are doing this independently and will report by the end of the year or the beginning of the new year. I have not announced it before, but the CSO is going to carry out a victimisation survey in Ireland also. This has not been done since 2010 and will give us the victims' perspective o their experiences of crime in Ireland. We will have the findings next year.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Like the Minister, I imagine, I have spoken to many members of An Garda Síochána since the report was published. Broadly, they welcome it. They have made the interesting observation that there was nothing in it that they could not have told us about resources. I am referring specifically to the issue of rosters. There has been significant criticism of the rostering system, the matter of Garda vehicles and the fact that many trained gardaí are tied down in doing administrative work. All of this arises from the cutbacks made in recent years. One of the most annoying things for me and, more importantly, front-line members of An Garda Síochána was the terminology used of smart policing and modernisation that we kept getting from the former Garda Commissioner, Mr. Martin Callinan, and the former Minister, Deputy Alan Shatter. It was nonsense. The bottom line was that they were dressing up the cutbacks and their impact as being something else. The report shows the urgent need for real modernisation and to deal with the impact of the cutbacks. There will be a challenge for the Government in deploying resources, although I recognise that the Minister went some of the way in the recent budget. The key issue is the criminal justice working group, about which there is some confusion. The Minister confirmed to me in the Dáil recently that she had established a criminal justice working group when I asked her about the penalty points matter. Has the group been established?

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Yes.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

There is some confusion because the most recent report calls for it to be established. If it has been established, it is most welcome. The report represents a real opportunity. In fairness to the Minister, while we have disagreements, she has started the process of reform and the language she has used since she took office has been encouraging. This is an opportunity for her to put her stamp on it and oversee real change that could boost morale and give the men and women of An Garda Síochána what they need. Overall, the force is made up of an excellent body of people.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

It is clear that during the years of the so-called Celtic tiger the investment in resources, for example, to deal with technology and vehicles issues, was not as it should have been. This is absolutely clear when we read the report on the issue of technology within An Garda Síochána. Some 1,000 gardaí were interviewed and met in focus groups for the Garda Inspectorate's report. The perspective of An Garda Síochána is given in the report. Nevertheless, this is a difficult time for An Garda Síochána with this level of analysis, necessary though it is. What I intend to do is incrementally ensure the members of the force will have the resources they need to do the job which I know they want to do and which they carry out every day in protecting the public in all sorts of arena and difficult situations. They put their lives at risk every day of the week.

From a budgetary point of view, there was a breakthrough this year for the Department with the extra investment which has been made. The Department's budget for this year is €2.156 billion for current spending and €107 million for capital spending. Not all of that is for An Garda Síochána, whose budget this year is approximately €1.35 billion.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I will come back to the Minister. I am trying to make some progress.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I just want to make the point that we have invested €27.5 million in new Garda vehicles. It will make a substantial difference nationally, including in urban areas.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Like the Minister, I am sure, I found the report a breath of fresh air. One can see the potential for An Garda Síochána if the recommendations are implemented. There is an opportunity to have a policing authority, a strengthened ombudsman and promotion on merit within the Garda where significant changes are required. There are also other opportunities that can be pursued. The Minister and I will come and go from the House. We will we be here for a short period and we will want to be able to look back and say we made a difference. The report represents a significant milestone in Irish policing. If we take the opportunity it presents, we can make a huge difference.

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The report sets out a comprehensive analysis and is tough and challenging, not least in its detail given the 500 recommendations. I have to agree with the Deputy there. It represents an important roadmap for developments in An Garda Síochána to make it absolutely fit for purpose. Ours is a reforming Government and establishing the new policing authority which will be responsible for promotions and day-to-day policing is a huge step. It is one I want to take very carefully, enuring that it is effective. It is in line with changes in other countries and can play a very important part in what the Deputy has outlined in relation to the changes that are necessary. As the Deputy knows, we are moving ahead with that.

There are other initiatives we are taking which will also make a difference. Obviously, resources are part and parcel of the issue, particularly in relation to technology which we have committed to upgrading. I want a proper plan in that regard which is why I am awaiting the Haddington Road report. I will have it later this year or early in the new year. When the Haddington Road report from the Inspectorate is available along with this report, we will be in a position to identify clearly the technology that is needed. In fact, I will have preliminary meetings on the issue with the Inspectorate and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in the coming weeks. We want to invest in the technology, which is part and parcel of effective policing. An Garda Síochána have waited too long for this level of technology.