Results 2,221-2,240 of 6,188 for speaker:Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 May 2019)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I appreciate there has been a lack of resources. Notwithstanding the cases that were discontinued because it was not possible to bear them out or because there was insufficient evidence, I find it difficult to understand, even with the limited resources. It has not been possible to bring forward even one of those cases to prosecution or to recommend disciplinary action. I assume that the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 May 2019)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: While that is fair enough, I continue to stand over my view that it is disappointing and poor. However, I hope the additional resources will mean we see things expedited. When she was before the committee last year, Ms Justice Ring said approximately half of the cases GSOC received could be disposed of within a year. Is that still more or less the case?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 May 2019)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Ms Justice Ring will be aware that I put in a freedom of information request on a report on work practices at GSOC's Longford offices. The request was refused on the basis that to grant it would potentially identify somebody. As such, I will be careful in my remarks so as to not identify anyone. It remains my view, however, that there is a public interest in the issues that surround this...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 May 2019)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: My understanding is that since 2013, the office had six staff. Is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 May 2019)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: My understanding is that if it departed from that, it was only ever briefly during that period.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 May 2019)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Very well. Is Ms Justice Ring confident that all files that went through that office were properly investigated and properly managed?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 May 2019)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I may well do that concerning the matters that perhaps I cannot say anything about in public. I do not accept, however, that it is not possible for Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring, as head of the organisation, to express confidence by saying the office is functioning well and that all files which passed through it were properly investigated according to the organisation’s procedures. I do...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 May 2019)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Very well. I thank Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring. Regarding the report on the death of Shane O’Farrell, his family were disappointed by it. Is Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring in a position to discuss reports which have been published?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 May 2019)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: GSOC is responsible for holding the Garda to account and investigating complaints made against gardaí. One of the concerns the family had about the report was that the assertions of gardaí had been accepted rather than tested or probed. One example is that the Garda asserted to GSOC that it was unaware of events related to the case that had occurred outside the jurisdiction. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 May 2019)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Was the PSNI contacted?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 May 2019)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I will leave that topic in a moment but GSOC knew about this case for six years and did not find out about this information. The family, without any training, legal background or anything like that, were able to find this out. The document was obviously relevant. The Garda made an assertion that was accepted by GSOC, whereas the family were able to demonstrate that was not the case. That...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 May 2019)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I think it was but I will check. That investigation has been completed and the matter is settled.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 May 2019)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: If I understand this flow chart correctly, section 93 deals with the discontinuation of a case if an investigator has a file under section 98. Is it correct that such a case is discontinued under section 93?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 May 2019)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: However, if a case goes from section 98 and is escalated through the directorate to the commission, it becomes a section 101. Is it correct to say that cannot be discontinued under section 93? Is it the case that it would either have to be referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, or somewhere else?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 May 2019)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Therefore, once it has been referred through the section 101, it cannot be discontinued under section 93.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 May 2019)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: As far as Ms Justice Ring is aware, there has never been a case where a report has been referred under section 101 and then discontinued under section 93?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 May 2019)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I raised an issue last year on the discharge of firearms. The current approach is that what I think is a strategic information request-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 May 2019)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: A strategic information decision is sought from An Garda Síochána. My language may not be quite right but GSOC may ask the gardaí for information, whatever it is called, and then GSOC decides whether it will take a public interest investigation. I raised a particular incident and was concerned that it was not related to a public interest investigation. This related to a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 May 2019)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Ms Justice Ring's preference is to have an investigation in each case, but, as things stand, there is no standard policy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 May 2019)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Due to a lack of resources and so on, it has been difficult to investigate every complaint and the process has been slow. Has there ever been an incident where, following an investigation, GSOC intended to seek a conviction but the Statute of Limitations of the petty sessions Act meant that was not possible?