Results 81-100 of 112 for gsoc segment:8821362

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022 - Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 Feb 2024)

Brian Stanley: In terms of power, does GSOC rely on the courts? That is a long and costly process.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022 - Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 Feb 2024)

Brian Stanley: Is GSOC in need of new powers in this regard?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022 - Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 Feb 2024)

Brian Stanley: Prior to the new Act, what were the two or three biggest deficiencies in GSOC's powers, in relation to the legislation that was there? Where were the biggest gaps?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022 - Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 Feb 2024)

Brian Stanley: That is okay. Does Mr. Whelan feel that hampered GSOC's work a lot?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022 - Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 Feb 2024)

Brian Stanley: ...is to investigate and there are fewer than 30 investigators out of 160 staff. Mr. Justice MacCabe might like to comment on this. It strikes me that there is an imbalance there. That is GSOC's call. It can decide how it manages staff and the number of staff needed in different positions. On the face of it, it would seem like a huge imbalance and that there should be a greater number of...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022 - Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 Feb 2024)

Brian Stanley: I think it was acknowledged here that there is a shortage of actual investigators and a problem recruiting them. I also want to put a follow-on question. Has GSOC, through the Department of Justice, fed this into the Department of further and higher education? One of the things that niggles at me - hardly a week goes by without us dealing with it - is that we are awful in this State at...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022 - Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 Feb 2024)

...published last year, the Ministers, Deputies Harris and Donohoe, stated that consideration was being given to a public service apprenticeship programme for junior investigators specifically in GSOC. To that extent, they are aware of the problem.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022 - Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 Feb 2024)

Brian Stanley: GSOC needs to be more active in following up on what action is being taken. If it has looked for something, it should ascertain what is happening in that regard and whether progress is being made. That is important. I ask that GSOC follow up in that way. The committee should be making a recommendation that the issue needs to be fixed. There is a problem there. I will bring in Ms...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022 - Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 Feb 2024)

Brian Stanley: ...the process takes time. There are things that cannot be rushed and it takes time to get information and evidence and all that, but it is clear this is a fundamental problem at the heart of GSOC and the process. There is a new Act but it will not be worth the paper it is written on if the tools to implement it are not provided. It is not fair to GSOC, gardaí who have complaints...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022 - Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 Feb 2024)

Ms Sarah Kennelly: Absolutely. We value and appreciate the importance of resourcing GSOC and the new organisation. We are committed to working with GSOC on that and have significantly increased resources in recent years. We will keep working on that with GSOC.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022 - Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 Feb 2024)

...institution that will support the development of our staff and thereby make us an employer of choice. That will attract people to come and have a professional qualification linked to working in GSOC. We are supported financially in that through the Department. We are being proactive in this regard and seeking a graduate educational system.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022 - Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 Feb 2024)

Alan Kelly: ...of investigators. There is an issue in An Garda at the moment. It manifested itself during the Dublin riots, as I have said before. There is a circle of confidence, a quarter of which involves GSOC. I would really appreciate it if all the witnesses took on board the themes we are raising here today, considering that I have to dance on the head of the pin as regards specifics. We...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022 - Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 Feb 2024)

Alan Kelly: I am referring to cases that GSOC pursued that it felt were vexatious and should not have been taken by a member of the public.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022 - Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 Feb 2024)

Alan Kelly: ...What was the number of internal investigations based on cases that were taken? How many were there in each of the past five years, and what was the outcome in each case? I am referring to where GSOC felt the need to investigate somebody internally as a result of their activities on files or otherwise. Third, considerable time has been spent on cases in Limerick. For each of the past...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022 - Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 Feb 2024)

Alan Kelly: If judges themselves make comments like this, obviously, GSOC would not need referrals.

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022 - Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 Feb 2024)

Alan Kelly: How would GSOC not be aware of something that is in the courts in Ireland involving gardaí?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022 - Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 Feb 2024)

Alan Kelly: I know, but the public are watching this. If something appears inside in a court in Ireland where An Garda Síochána has been pursuing an investigation based on a recommendation of GSOC, etc., it is up in court and the judge then states that the way in which warrants and other issues were dealt with by gardaí was completely wrong, how in the name of God would GSOC not be aware...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022 - Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 Feb 2024)

Mr. Hugh Hume: Sorry, maybe I am misunderstanding the Deputy. Is the Deputy saying it is a GSOC investigation this is happening with?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022 - Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 Feb 2024)

Alan Kelly: Yes. How would GSOC not be aware of a judge criticising the processes by which gardaí have done their business? How would that not come to GSOC's attention?

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022 - Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 Feb 2024)

Alan Kelly: Every utterance we make here is provided to us in some format. Where there is a criticism of some members of An Garda Síochána, that it would not be brought to GSOC's attention given the organisation it is and so that it could fulfil its remit, particularly under that component of public interest, is beyond my comprehension.