Results 2,341-2,360 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

An Garda Síochána: Statements (28 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I was not in discussion with John Twomey at that point. My Department-----

An Garda Síochána: Statements (28 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I did not ask but my Department was in contact with the-----

An Garda Síochána: Statements (28 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: No, my Department asked for the full audit over the period and what they said was that-----

An Garda Síochána: Statements (28 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The figure for the southern region that was made available to us just in March was that there was a 17% discrepancy at that point, but what has emerged is that the discrepancy in the southern region is far greater than that because the discrepancies across all regions are in excess of that. The lowest is 65%.

An Garda Síochána: Statements (28 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: No. What is very clear, and it is one of the reasons the Government made the decision this morning, is that one cannot rely on the internal audits that were done, for example, the southern region audit. It is quite clear that when the full audit was done and they compared what the medical bureau had with their own figures, the discrepancy was much greater, which Assistant Commissioner Finn...

An Garda Síochána: Statements (28 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The audit section of An Garda Síochána. It was internal.

An Garda Síochána: Statements (28 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes. I think the Policing Authority is an excellent body. It is just entering its second year since its establishment. I have already received its first report on the implementation of the Garda Inspectorate recommendations which I have passed over to the Policing Authority so that it can begin to ensure they are being implemented. It has started a very positive programme of work. It...

An Garda Síochána: Statements (28 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The answer to that is the letter the Department received in June 2016 from John Twomey outlining that the Garda was concerned about some issues. No figure was mentioned, so I was not aware of the 14,700 cases. Neither do I believe was the Garda aware of it at that point because that was an earlier stage. The audit was not completed. Some procedures had been put in place by the Garda to...

An Garda Síochána: Statements (28 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: At that point in the letter, as the Garda had also put some solutions in place regarding what had happened to different individuals, it was clear the Garda was concerned that there would be a number but it had no idea that there were 14,700 at that point. The Garda was concerned that some people were summoned to court who should not have been. Some solutions had been put in place and the...

An Garda Síochána: Statements (28 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: At that point, the full scale of this issue was being examined to see precisely what the implications of this were. I was aware that action had been taken, so no further such mistakes could be made. I was awaiting the result of the full audit. My Department was in contact with An Garda Síochána on a regular basis to ensure we would get the full audit.

An Garda Síochána: Statements (28 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Clearly, as I said in my opening statement, these issues have to be addressed comprehensively. The plan, as the Garda Commissioner outlined and what we want to see implemented as soon as possible, is that letters will issue on 3 April to all those who have been affected by this. In the first instance, every one of these 14,700 cases will have to go into the District Court and then be...

An Garda Síochána: Statements (28 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have put it on the public record that I received a letter in June 2016, outlining that some issues had arisen that the Garda was examining what it needed to do and it was doing a full audit that would be completed in the second quarter of this year. That was the information I had. My Department continued to be in contact with the Garda on when the final audit would be available. Of...

An Garda Síochána: Statements (28 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: At that time I was Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. He wrote a letter to the then Minister, Alan Shatter, who referred it to the Garda Commissioner. I was looking in detail at the file today. It was an anonymous complaint with a series of allegations which had been forwarded. It was referred to the Garda Commissioner. In the timeline published the other day, the Garda...

An Garda Síochána: Statements (28 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Have we changed the procedure? Are there not statements now?

An Garda Síochána: Statements (28 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Whatever the Ceann Comhairle likes.

An Garda Síochána: Statements (28 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes.

An Garda Síochána: Statements (28 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I apologise; I understood the procedure was different so the Deputy might repeat his question.

An Garda Síochána: Statements (28 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I welcome this opportunity to address these important and very disturbing issues. First of all I want to stress again, as I have already and as the Taoiseach did during Leaders’ Questions, the utmost seriousness with which the Government and I as Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality regard these issues. It is essential that the Government, the Oireachtas and all our...

Seanad: An Garda Síochána: Statements (28 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank Senators for the invitation to be here this evening. I welcome this opportunity to address these important and very disturbing issues. I again stress, as I have just done in the Dáil and as the Taoiseach did during Leaders’ Questions this morning, the utmost seriousness with which the Government regards these issues. It is essential that the Government, the Oireachtas...

Seanad: An Garda Síochána: Statements (28 Mar 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank Senators for their contributions to this important debate. I have noted what has been said and how seriously every Senator takes this issue, as I do. I am very aware of the criticisms made about the lack of an explanation of how and why this happened. I am very disappointed that we do not have, at this stage, an absolute explanation of how it happened, who was involved, who is...