Results 7,001-7,020 of 14,388 for speaker:Clare Daly

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Priorities for An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (12 Oct 2016)

Clare Daly: If the Commissioner had been made aware of any such allegations what action would she have taken to deal with that situation?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Priorities for An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (12 Oct 2016)

Clare Daly: If everything is improving and the Commissioner has said the numbers of whistleblowers are in single figures can she explain why those five at least, if not more, are out sick and have been on protracted sick leave due to work-related stress?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Priorities for An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (12 Oct 2016)

Clare Daly: It is very difficult to get an answer. How many protected disclosures would have been made directly to the Commissioner as distinct from the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Priorities for An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (12 Oct 2016)

Clare Daly: This is supposed to be a public forum to help. This module today is part of a process to deal with oversight and accountability in respect of An Garda Síochána. We have had the oversight bodies in here. They have made observations and have not been as reticent in their answers. Nobody is asking the Commissioner to deal with individual cases but the questions are valid. If the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Priorities for An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (12 Oct 2016)

Clare Daly: The Commissioner is aware that two weeks ago Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring stated here that the legislation was insufficient and that while it is uneven and some areas are all right, in general co-operation was at best uneven but certainly in the area of protected disclosures and getting relevant information from An Garda Síochána they were not able to do their job properly because of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Priorities for An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (12 Oct 2016)

Clare Daly: I am somewhat at a loss as to why, if all these processes are in place, GSOC and the whistleblowers are not happy. How can there be such a contradiction between the public statements the Garda authorities are making about how everything is grand and things are improving and the direct opposite position that is being set out by GSOC and the whistleblowers? The witnesses have said they were...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Priorities for An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (12 Oct 2016)

Clare Daly: While I agree everybody is different, the similarities in these cases are striking. In every instance, people have reported bullying and intimidation when they made a protected disclosure. In every case, the individual is out on protracted sick leave. Is that accurate?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Priorities for An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (12 Oct 2016)

Clare Daly: The Minister has stated publicly that she contacted Ms O'Sullivan in May of this year seeking an urgent report about some of these allegations of bullying and harassment of whistleblowers. Has the Commissioner responded to that communication from the Minister and, if so, when was her response given?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Priorities for An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (12 Oct 2016)

Clare Daly: The communication is a matter of public record. Moving on, the O'Higgins report deals with allegations that two senior officers were prepared to mislead the ombudsman commission in regard to evidence about the motivation of Sergeant Maurice McCabe. The report has been submitted to the commission. Has Ms O'Sullivan been contacted by GSOC regarding that investigation?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Priorities for An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (12 Oct 2016)

Clare Daly: Ms O'Sullivan has commented on the Minister's new initiative relating to the latest protected disclosures. Will she comment further on that process and indicate whether she will co-operate fully with it? Will she say whether all electronic equipment in the hands of An Garda Síochána will be handed over to Mr. Justice O'Neill as part of that inquiry?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Priorities for An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (12 Oct 2016)

Clare Daly: Does that include handing over all technology and information?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Priorities for An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (12 Oct 2016)

Clare Daly: Drugs are an appalling blight on our communities. While the report is not specific on this matter, it does get to the heart of how An Garda Síochána deals with drugs. There have been reports in the public domain of Garda collusion in the drugs trade, which was confirmed as part of an internal investigation as a result of whistleblower allegations, and we have had people giving...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Priorities for An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (12 Oct 2016)

Clare Daly: Has the Commissioner initiated an investigation into the leak of the internal report to the newspapers?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Priorities for An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (12 Oct 2016)

Clare Daly: There is no investigation into the leaking of that internal report?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Priorities for An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (12 Oct 2016)

Clare Daly: The internal investigation into the whistleblower allegations in regard-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Priorities for An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (12 Oct 2016)

Clare Daly: I refer to the main aspects that were flagged in The Sunday Timesin the past two weeks. I am sure the Commissioner has been watching "Prime Time" and saw that side of things.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Priorities for An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (12 Oct 2016)

Clare Daly: The Commissioner is confirming that there has been no investigation into the leaking of this information.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Priorities for An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (12 Oct 2016)

Clare Daly: I refer to any information in regard to this case, and the whistleblower allegations about Garda collusion in the drugs trade.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Priorities for An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (12 Oct 2016)

Clare Daly: I am talking about the allegations that deal with the internal report on Garda collusion in the drugs trade in and around the Athlone area, and the information that appeared in the public domain about that internal investigation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Priorities for An Garda Síochána: Garda Commissioner (12 Oct 2016)

Clare Daly: That is fine. Obviously, these are incredibly serious issues that are utterly shocking for citizens who are the victims of drugs in our society. From the point of view of the media, Garda leaking in other areas and action being taken against people who are alleged to have leaked information, there seems to be inconsistency. However, I am conscious that other members want to contribute. ...