Results 101-120 of 315 for gsoc speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Garda Investigations (28 Sep 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: With regard to the timeframe, the Department received an update from GSOC in July 2016. In that latest update, GSOC stated that the investigation was at an advanced stage and arrangements were being put in place to meet with some gardaí who have yet to be interviewed. I very much hope, as Deputy O'Callaghan does, that this work can be concluded very soon. I have met the family, who...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Investigations (28 Sep 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) has a hugely important role in ensuring that public confidence in the Garda Síochána is safeguarded, and has extensive powers under the 2005 Act to enable it to carry out its responsibilities. GSOC has been operating now for 10 years and in that time its role has been expanded by, for example, bringing complaints against...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Protected Disclosures (28 Sep 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: ...then Government's comprehensive approach to enhancing the protections available to whistleblowers, including members of the Garda Síochána. Under the Act, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) is now the prescribed body authorised to receive protected disclosures on Garda matters. Accordingly, members of the Garda Síochána may communicate their...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Expenditure (16 Sep 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I have been advised by GSOC that the total spend for the years 2006 up to and including 30 August 2016 is as set out in the table. In the table the amounts shown as expended on contractors refers to those persons, organisations or groups who are engaged by GSOC for a limited period of time. They are engaged to carry out operations or functions that involve skills or capabilities that are not...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Investigations (19 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: ...' questions are truly tragic. His family deserve every sympathy for their terrible loss. The first thing I should say is that an investigation by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) is ongoing. That investigation was initiated following complaints made by the family of the young man. Subsequently, a previous Minister for Justice and Equality, considering that it...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Investigations (19 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Garda Commissioner wrote to me on 19 May 2016 asking that I use the legal powers available to me to request the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) to investigate matters alleged to have occurred in relation to a meeting in Mullingar involving certain officers. On 16 June 2016, having consulted with the Attorney General and having sought additional information from...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Deployment (12 Jul 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: ...these matters. It is of course open to any person who has a concern about the behaviour of members of the Garda Síochána to register a complaint with the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) which is the independent body established by law, with extensive powers, to investigate any allegations of Garda wrongdoing.

Questions on Proposed Legislation (29 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: The GSOC legislation was reviewed and this House made changes to it last year. There are no plans to change it, but it can and obviously will be kept under review. There may be a need to update it and GSOC may approach the Government with changes it would like to see implemented. It approached us about quite a number of changes when we were reviewing the legislation and we included as many...

Priority Questions: Commissions of Investigation (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: ...to me from the commission. As a result of the serious issues that arose and to avoid any lack of confidence or clarity with the issues identified by the O'Higgins commission, I have referred the matter to GSOC. The Deputy knows GSOC is an independent body and it will carry out an independent investigation, deciding on its methodology and how to approach the investigation. I certainly...

Priority Questions: Commissions of Investigation (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: That is the reality. The Deputy is assuming the outcome of an investigation and I will certainly not do that. I will await the outcome of the GSOC investigation. We have heard partial evidence and all the evidence has not been in the public arena. I asked GSOC to investigate the issue and I await the outcome of that investigation.

Priority Questions: Garda Misconduct Allegations (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: ...'s detailed request, and satisfying myself that it was desirable in the public interest that this matter be investigated, as to leave it unaddessed could undermine confidence in An Garda Síochána, I made a request to GSOC on 16 June 2016. My powers under section 102 are not to be exercised lightly and, in all the circumstances, I do not believe that there was any undue delay in...

Priority Questions: Garda Misconduct Allegations (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: ...She had given me a detailed request and I felt it was in the public interest and went ahead. It was a number of weeks but there were various pieces of work that needed to be done before I requested GSOC to do this investigation and it is now in a position to do that independent investigation.

Priority Questions: Garda Remuneration (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: ...and ensure a high quality standard of working conditions for members of An Garda Síochána. The position of whistleblowers in An Garda Síochána is topical. It is important to acknowledge that members of An Garda Síochána may now communicate their concerns to the Garda Commissioner, as their employer, or to GSOC, as a prescribed body, under the provisions of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Misconduct Allegations (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: ...was part of the then Government's comprehensive approach to enhancing the protections available to whistleblowers, including members of the Garda Síochána. Under the Act, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) is now the prescribed body authorised to receive protected disclosures on Garda matters. GSOC is a statutorily independent body under the Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission Administration (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am satisfied that the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission has the support it needs to carry out its important work, including in respect of its role in relation to protected disclosures. GSOC's budget for 2016 is €9.546 million, which represents an increase of some €500,000 on the 2015 amount. 2015 also saw an increase in the number of staff working for GSOC. ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Operations (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: ...no role in deciding when search warrants are executed. That said, I am aware of the issue to which the Deputy refers in his question and am advised by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) that the particular issue arose from a recommendation made by GSOC to the Garda Commissioner in relation to a particular case. It follows a report issued by the Law Reform Commission...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Statutory Inquiries (22 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: ...that I request the Garda Síochana Ombudsman Commission to investigate some aspect of the complaints and, having considered those cases and the issues identified by counsel, I did request GSOC, in accordance with section 102 (5) of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, to carry out investigations. In other cases it was recommended that I seek a report from the Garda Commissioner and,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Independent Review Mechanism (16 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: ...recommendations by counsel. In some cases this requires consultation with the Attorney General and this process is underway. Actions arising from the Review Mechanism include: referrals to GSOC for investigation under section 102 (5) of the Garda Síochána Act 2005; requests to the Garda Commissioner to report to me on certain matters under section 41(2) of the same Act;...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (14 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: ...referred to, I can assure him I will seek an urgent report from the Garda authorities on the serious matters referred to by him. In so far as the role of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) is concerned, the Deputy will be aware that GSOC was established to independently examine complaints which may be made in relation to members of An Garda Síochána and it...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Cross-Border Co-operation (8 Jun 2016)

Frances Fitzgerald: ...An Garda Síochána and the PSNI is kept under continuous review with a view to identifying enhancements building on experience and the evolution of crime trends. The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) has a current Memorandum of Understanding with the Police Ombudsman Northern Ireland (PONI) and GSOC’s other oversight partners (IPCC in England/Wales and...