Results 11,381-11,400 of 22,424 for speaker:Finian McGrath
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight: Discussion (14 May 2014)
Finian McGrath: Let me move on to Mr. Simon O’Brien and GSOC. With regard to Mr. O’Brien’s third proposal, he said he would like to see the Garda Commissioner becoming subject to independent oversight and that the legislation should be changed to allow for that. How would he go about that?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight: Discussion (14 May 2014)
Finian McGrath: I have a question for Mr. Joyce of the Irish Human Rights Commission. The organisation suggests that the five principles for dealing with accountability in the Patten report, along with his additional principle pertaining to the European Convention on Human Rights, would make a serious contribution to the reform of the Garda.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight: Discussion (14 May 2014)
Finian McGrath: Many people say we need to depoliticise policing. Many agree with that. I hear from gardaí on the ground who are doing good work with the drugs squad and Travellers that once gardaí reach the level of sergeant, the system becomes political and the whole meritocracy disappears. How would the delegates deal with that kind of culture? There are many talented young gardaí who...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight: Discussion (14 May 2014)
Finian McGrath: My final question is for John Devitt from Transparency International Ireland. It concerns the 400 clients the organisation has assisted since 2011. Were many of them gardaí? What practical support is offered? Could Mr. Kelly state whether the ICCL has worked with whistleblowers in recent years?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight: Discussion (14 May 2014)
Finian McGrath: On a point of order, I would like to hear what he has to say about those cases. It is important that we hear a human voice as well as concentrating on the legislative issues.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight: Discussion (14 May 2014)
Finian McGrath: He has made a written submission and I would like to hear that orally.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight: Discussion (14 May 2014)
Finian McGrath: I have a few short questions. I welcome the representatives and thank them for their submissions. I wish to refer to an issue raised by Mr. Mark Toland who referred to the authority in Scotland. Some of my colleagues sought examples of good practice. He also mentioned the London authority. What is his experience of the London authority? Was it a system that worked well compared to the...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight: Discussion (14 May 2014)
Finian McGrath: Just in general.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight: Discussion (14 May 2014)
Finian McGrath: On the accountability question, did Mr. Toland regard it as fairly effective?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight: Discussion (14 May 2014)
Finian McGrath: My next question is for Mr. Olson. The Garda Inspectorate was established in 2006 and it produced nine reports making a total of 281 recommendations for change and 66 are already implemented.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight: Discussion (14 May 2014)
Finian McGrath: When I see that, I say that is good, that is efficient. There is also a part of me that says where did we go wrong in recent years if 66% of these recommendations were implemented. Are there any big ticket items that were implemented and are working well?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight: Discussion (14 May 2014)
Finian McGrath: Just give me one or two.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight: Discussion (14 May 2014)
Finian McGrath: Mr. Olson said in his submission that the inspectorate had encountered some problems in regard to provision of information from An Garda Síochána. What kind of problems?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight: Discussion (14 May 2014)
Finian McGrath: Mention was made in the submission of the protocols established with An Garda Síochána, such as the provision by the inspectorate of advance notice when visiting Garda locations. Looking at this objectively, I see the requirement to give notice of a visit to a Garda station as not allowing for an objective and independent assessment, as the provision of notice allows people to...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight: Discussion (14 May 2014)
Finian McGrath: I would like to move on now to question Mr. Redmond and Mr. Galvin. In regard to the experience of whistleblowing over the past number of years, did the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors advise or support any of the whistleblowers regarding their concerns or the issues raised?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight: Discussion (14 May 2014)
Finian McGrath: The reason I asked the question was that many Deputies have been hearing the opposite. They have heard there was significant hostility from the association's members towards these people.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight: Discussion (14 May 2014)
Finian McGrath: I know. I understand about the individual aspect and respect that. I have talked to colleagues from all parties about this and it appears that over the past couple of weeks some members of the association and others have been trying to damage the integrity of the two whistleblowers. That is not just hearsay.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight: Discussion (14 May 2014)
Finian McGrath: I have a grave concern about this, because I thought the association's job would be to protect and defend the whistleblowers.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight: Discussion (14 May 2014)
Finian McGrath: Earlier, Mr. Redmond spoke about the proposed Garda authority and said there was a cause for concern. One of my colleagues mentioned the proposed make-up of the authority. Would the AGSI have any concerns about civil society groups being involved in that authority?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight: Discussion (14 May 2014)
Finian McGrath: I have a final question for Dr. O'Flaherty. Is it his view that some sections within the Garda Síochána were hostile to certain sectors of society? He mentioned poor, disadvantaged and deprived areas and also a young child with a disability. Does he feel the Garda needs to up its game in regard to respecting certain sections of society and does it need to do more to make itself...