Results 161-180 of 3,624 for speaker:Cormac Devlin

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

Cormac Devlin: It is good to engage with the witnesses again. I thank them for the information they supplied. As has been said, GSOC is necessary. I understand the purpose of the organisation but, obviously, it is not perfect and the witnesses are striving to improve that. Mr. Justice MacCabe mentioned the 26 vacancies in the organisation. Given the issue that arose in the public domain in April last...

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

Cormac Devlin: Yes, but it was surprising to many members of the public to see that this could have carried on in plain sight and, in theory, from what we have read, over a length of time. Given that GSOC is hiring new individuals, what new processes are in place to check their backgrounds?

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

Cormac Devlin: Is there anything new?

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

Cormac Devlin: On that issue, the individual involved, I have heard from Ms Logan, has since quit and we know that from the public commentary. Have all the cases in which that individual was involved been reviewed?

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

Cormac Devlin: I understand, but I refer to internal reviews of what access the individual had and so on. Has that been thoroughly reviewed?

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

Cormac Devlin: Okay. That is important. Mr. Whelan stated 80% of complaints are closed within two years. I submitted a parliamentary question on this issue in early December and I understand the 1,826 cases for 2022 was the fourth lowest figure GSOC has had in its existence. What is more worrying, however, is the actual numbers of cases that are outstanding. Forty-one cases, as I understand, remain...

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

Cormac Devlin: Mr. Whelan might send a note on that because it is of interest to me. As colleagues have mentioned, there is an impact, which the witnesses acknowledged, where complaints are made. Some of them are serious and obviously have to be investigated - I am not questioning that - but where a case has been outstanding for that length of time, that has an impact on the individual's career, on the...

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

Cormac Devlin: Yes. Will it have any bearing on them?

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

Cormac Devlin: I am focusing in on the nine cases because that number is very high, given the length of time. I am not trying to belittle them as I know these are complex. Can Mr. Whelan give us a reason it would take that long?

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

Cormac Devlin: Mr. Hume made reference earlier to the fact that some complainants can be frivolous or vexatious. Of those cases, I think the figure Mr. Whelan gave was 3,000 complaints against An Garda Síochána in 2022 and of these, 2,000 had been closed off in a relatively short period of time, leaving the 1,826 cases. Is it the case that some individuals who, as we would term it, are known to...

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

Cormac Devlin: Would they form the bulk of those on an annual basis?

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

Cormac Devlin: Very good. I want to turn to previous matters which we have engaged on, including the statement on internal control. The witnesses will remember that we engaged on the ICT service delivery and there was a note specifically in these statements. Three of the findings had been addressed but one was outstanding. It was due be addressed in quarter 3. This was information and cybersecurity...

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

Cormac Devlin: All of those issues have been resolved. I want to turn to the issue of money spent. Not only is there concern about individuals who are hired by the organisation and the access they have to extremely sensitive information but the security spend for GSOC decreased from €364,000 in 2021 to €303,000. Why is that the case?

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

Cormac Devlin: IT expenses have increased in the 12 months from 2021. What was the increase on that? Was that part of that resolution to-----

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

Cormac Devlin: Do investigators work remotely or from head office or is it a blended working environment?

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

Cormac Devlin: I imagine the capabilities are higher for those working for GSOC than for an ordinary Joe Punter working from home, given the sensitive access they have to information. Is that correct?

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

Cormac Devlin: Does the new upgrade that has been done in respect of addressing those issues form part of those internal controls? Has this-----

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

Cormac Devlin: They are reviewed anyway. That is what I am asking.

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

Cormac Devlin: If he would not mind, I ask Mr. Whelan to come back to us with that note on the individuals involved in those cases. I would appreciate that. I thank the Cathaoirleach.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (7 Feb 2024)

Cormac Devlin: 11. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of a passport application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5064/24]