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Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Homicide Statistics: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The next public meeting of the Policing Authority took place on 29 June. At that stage, it was informed that the report was close to conclusion, and once again, gave no impression that there was anything untoward and that everything was progressing. Would Ms West agree with that characterisation that the report was close to conclusion then? What would Ms West's analysis of the report's...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Homicide Statistics: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I have some questions arising from Ms Galligan's statement. The 87 page report from November 2016 outlined four areas for concern, of which one stands out. As Ms Galligan put it in her statement there were "deaths that the cause of death deemed it suspicious and the Garda investigation would ascertain whether criminality was involved or not, yet these were recorded in a non-crime category...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Homicide Statistics: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Ms Galligan said deceased victims have not been given the respect and duty of investigation into their deaths that they deserve. She also said the State Pathologist was summoned to a number of homicide incidents. Is she of the view that at the very least, the indications are that not everything was properly followed up in the investigation file?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Homicide Statistics: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: From the point of view of an investigation, are there significant risks in that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Homicide Statistics: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I refer to Ms West's statement. She said: "As it transpired, there was an apparent reluctance to countenance many of the issues we tried to raise and we made many attempts to highlight the potential organisational risks, the inconsistencies we were identifying and the absolute need to review the approach to death classification and investigation, not only within An Garda Síochána...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Homicide Statistics: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: During our previous meeting with An Garda Síochána, Dr. Singh was asked whether any pressure was brought to bear on him not to question the report that was referred to at the Policing Authority meeting in April 2017 and he stated on a number of occasions, "Not that I am aware of". However, Ms West has detailed clearly in what is the same report essentially that between 8 and 10...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Homicide Statistics: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Was Dr. Singh aware that Ms West and Ms Galligan felt under pressure? Did they make that apparent?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Homicide Statistics: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Was Ms West satisfied that her management both within the analysis service and An Garda Síochána dealt with her concerns adequately and that they were escalated adequately, particularly the analysis service?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Homicide Statistics: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: According to Ms West, ultimately, in September 2017, there was an acceptance that her methodology and approach was correct. Since that date, has there been an improvement in her experience or does she still feel insufficient priority is being given to the review and that she and her work have been treated with adequate respect and importance?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Homicide Statistics: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: On foot of that, am I correct that the process Ms West has described is one and the same as the consolidated process that was announced by the Policing Authority or is that separate?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Homicide Statistics: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I am close to concluding, but Ms West has raised a crucial point in how we restore confidence in the process. An independent peer review is absolutely crucial because one of the flaws the Policing Authority identified in the investigative side of the review was that the same people who were involved in the initial investigation were asked to review it again. That is far from ideal in terms...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Homicide Statistics: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Mar 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I have two other questions. Is it possible to quantify the misclassification of the data that can be put down to weaknesses with PULSE, human error or other factors? Could Ms West give an indication as to the origin of the misclassification? We need to focus on how we move on from this point. In addition to the review continuing and reaching a conclusion, what should the committee, the...

Topical Issue Debate: Employment Rights (6 Mar 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The question is what measures the Government will put in place to ensure workers are protected if a status red alert is issued. Essentially, the answer given by the Minister was a statement of the legal situation, the existing responsibilities of employers and so on. It did not really address the issue. Clear advice was offered by Met Éireann and those who are responsible for...

Topical Issue Debate: Employment Rights (6 Mar 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I pay tribute to the staff of the key agencies who responded to the recent storm and the extraordinary circumstances in which they did so. While essential workers in those agencies, some of whom are volunteers, were required and provision was made for them, there were many people who were forced to go to work who are not essential workers. Many of them were asked by their employers, some of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (28 Feb 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I thank Ms Justice Ring. I would have had contact with that family and I welcome that news. I know it was a cause of frustration and concern that it has taken a considerable period of time but I welcome that news and hope the report will be with the family as soon as possible. There has been a fair bit of questioning about resourcing and the ability of GSOC to deal with its workload....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (28 Feb 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: To be clear, is it still GSOC's view that without the additional resources, particularly with regard to protected disclosures, GSOC will not be in a position to properly fulfil its key objectives?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (28 Feb 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Further to that, in relation to resources, I wish to get a sense of the level of work that is going on. In her opening statement Ms Justice Ring mentioned that approximately 2,000 complaints are received per year.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (28 Feb 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: In a general sense, how many cases that are received are brought to a conclusion per annum as far as GSOC is concerned in that there is either a recommendation for a particular action or that a case is dismissed for being vexatious?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (28 Feb 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I suppose that is central to the reason I ask the question, namely, that there is a concern that the time it is taking GSOC to get through the cases is quite long. What is being said is that approximately half of the complaints that are reached - if I understand correctly that is 1,000 cases - that are received are disposed of within the year.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (28 Feb 2018)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Is it fair to say that the other half would take in excess of a year?