Results 1-20 of 35 for gsoc speaker:Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 May 2019)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: ...prove itself but that it would also be obliged to carry forward a considerable lack of public confidence. When Deputy Clare Daly referenced damage, I made the note that the damage had been done to GSOC in terms of public confidence by virtue of the fact that the resourcing was not all it should have been. It was stated that GSOC could not just tell people to go away. In that context,...

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

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: ...comes to me to ask a number of short questions, if I may. In her address to us here, Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring spoke about the delay in responding to requests for reports and other information. GSOC makes requests but there is an inordinate delay, in her own words, and an untimeliness, in responding that makes the work of GSOC difficult. I will call it, as we see it, an unco-operative...

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

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: ...series of engagements. In her opening statement Ms Justice Ring indicated that, contrary to the view gardaí would not turn to a body which dealt with complaints about them, members had gone to GSOC to look for help and support in the making of protected disclosures. She indicated a sense or an awareness of some not presenting because the process might take too long. An...

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

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: Our recommendation No. 1 continued:Enhancing powers for GSOC in relation to reviewing investigations. In unsupervised investigations, a complainant has a right to have GSOC review the investigation. However, the outcome stands. Has anything changed?

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

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: That is literally what the recommendation made by GSOC is all about. In terms of recommendation No. 3, there is a call for GSOC to be empowered to accept and undertake to investigate matters dated beyond the current timeline limitation. If I remember correctly that may be six months.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 May 2019)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I will ensure she has sight of the respondents I am referencing. In the case I have mentioned a decision, so-called, has issued. I would like to comment on a case that has been referred to GSOC in the relatively recent past, but I am restricted somewhat in how I can reference it. I endeavoured to raise the matter on the floor of the Dáil and ask a question on behalf of my community...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 May 2019)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: That came across in the opening statement and, as Chairman of the committee, I support what was said. Ms Justice Ring has made it very clear that one of GSOC's real concerns is matching a new remit with resources. In 2018, in excess of 500 cases went back to the Garda for investigation. If they are to come under GSOC's direct attention once again, there will have to be a significant...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 May 2019)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: ...with us in her reply. I will take that with me from our exchange today and I thank her for that. Mr. Sullivan and Mr. FitzGerald are both very welcome to this committee as commissioners with GSOC, alongside Ms Justice Ring, the GSOC chairperson. Mr. Sullivan had an easy day, which is not always the case for the commissioner. I thank the witnesses for their engagement with us and for...

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

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: ...2016, we made recommendations and we are now very anxious. We have made it a priority job of work, at the commencement of 2018, to review progress on our recommendations that cover the areas of GSOC, the Policing Authority and the Garda Inspectorate. We will meet each of those entities, respectively, over the coming period, and then with the senior management of An Garda...

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

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: That is more legislation. In terms of informal resolution, GSOC does not yet have the power to decide whether informal resolution should be attempted.

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

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: Yes. Our recommendation was, nevertheless, based on fact. It is just in terms of the passage of time element that GSOC felt that the catch-all situation was that someone under investigation should not find a bolthole to exit.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Garda Oversight and Accountability: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (8 May 2019)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: Ms Justice Ring stated on a number of occasions that GSOC now has a full complement of investigators. Do I take it that the 21 outstanding appointments do not relate to investigator roles?

Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission: Motion [Private Members] (18 Feb 2014)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: ...word "service". Too often we hear the word 'force' in respect of police here and in other jurisdictions. The Garda Commissioner, Martin Callinane, addressing the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, issue, referred to "my force". That displays a certain mind-set which has to be addressed if we are to see real reform and real accountability in policing. We need political...

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

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I thank Ms Justice Ring. It was a comprehensive opening statement and I thank her for it. It would be only right to wish everyone on board the GSOC ship a happy birthday, having passed that ten-year milestone. I will open the floor to members. The first to have indicated was Deputy O'Callaghan.

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

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: ...for investigation under the Act referred to An Garda Síochána and reads:At present, only when the complaint indicates a member of An Garda Síochána may have committed a criminal offence does GSOC investigate directly, investigation of other complaints is undertaken by a Garda Síochána Investigating Officer. Has any of that changed?

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

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: ...is not just a foolhardy exercise with no consequences. We want to see results. Recommendation No. 2 refers to former members of An Garda Síochána. I note from the report compiled by GSOC last December that there is a slight variation in the solutions or recommendations. We have indicated in our recommendation No. 2 that "the Police Ombudsman in the North can investigate...

Written Answers — Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (4 Mar 2008)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: ...resources available to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission and his views on whether the contingent of just 30 investigators is sufficient to deal with the case load in view of the fact GSOC received 3,500 complaints since May 2007, 900 of which related to alleged criminal behaviour on the part of the Gardaí. [9000/08]

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

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: ...oversight and accountability and look at the progress made in implementing the recommendations of the joint committee as published in December 2016 in its report on the subject. We shall also consider GSOC's proposals for stand-alone legislation for it. We note the publication of a report by Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring in December 2017. We thank her for her attendance in such inclement...

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

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I thank the assistant commissioner and the Commissioner. It is the case that GSOC is primarily focused on external complaints. It has been recently suggested in media discourse and elsewhere that perhaps we need a Garda ombudsman for the internal complaints process. In other words, an ombudsman to deal with members of the force when they present their issues. Has the Commissioner...

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

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: ...has been well established in her previous attendances at the committee. I thank her colleague, Ms Claire Grady, for joining us and wish both of them well in their continued efforts to help ensure GSOC will be able to tick the necessary boxes. It is to be hoped it can do so more speedily than we will be able to tick the boxes in making our recommendations. I once again extend our thanks...