Results 1-20 of 40 for gsoc segment:7452774

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

...for giving us the opportunity to meet them. I am joined by my fellow commissioners Mr. Kieran FitzGerald and Mr. Patrick Sullivan. Since we last met the joint committee, Mr. Sullivan joined GSOC last July after a Public Appointments Service open competition. Representatives of the commission were last before the committee on 28 February 2018. On that date the commission updated the...

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

Clare Daly: ...structural changes, particularly legislatively, we are no further along the road. That is my view. My first batch of questions relate to the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland and the work of GSOC. The press statement issued by GSOC on publication of that report correctly, as far as I am concerned, pinpointed that a lot of what is said therein echoed what had been already...

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

Clare Daly: ...the current scenario with respect to the handling of protected disclosures. It is clearly a growing area in which the witnesses have been involved. What is the average timescale being looked at for GSOC to assess and come to a conclusion with a protected disclosure? I know they can be broad in range but what is the rough timeline? What kind of co-operation is being received from An...

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

Clare Daly: Did GSOC ask An Garda Síochána why it was not told about the issue and, if so, was it given an answer?

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

Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring: We have been in contact with An Garda Síochána in that regard and I do not think it sees that there was a need to tell GSOC. The Garda was confident that the force was properly investigating the matter and it did not occur to it that there was a need to inform us.

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

Clare Daly: ...it is linked to Ms Justice Ring's statement that it was troubling that An Garda Síochána continued to conduct criminal investigations into its members without the knowledge or involvement of GSOC. Either the Garda does not know it is supposed to do that or it is something more sinister. This is very troubling. Ms Justice Ring referred to the new draft protocol and stated that...

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

Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring: We have an existing protocol that goes back to 2013. There was also one prior to that, which arose on the establishment of GSOC. We raised the issue of reviewing the 2013 protocol and we then added a new proposed protocol to the mix. The Garda Commissioner has acknowledged receipt of the draft protocol and has indicated the matter is receiving attention. I...

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

Clare Daly: ...all piecing together to form a very troubling picture. It is even more troubling given that we were discussing the same matters three years ago. At that time, we were a little more upbeat because GSOC had gone to the trouble of detailing the legislative provision that would have sorted out this matter. Now we see not only the lack of change in that respect and its impact on the...

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

...bodies, it is perhaps a good time to look at the whole process of protected disclosures. Technically, under the law, we cannot discuss it if it means that identities are in some way disclosed. GSOC may be investigating a complaint that the Garda is investigating, but we may not know that until very late in the day. It may be very far advanced in that regard because it is closer to the...

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

Clare Daly: ...of the members of the public who are not getting answers because the commission's hands are tied. The fact that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform did not take on board the information of GSOC's lived experience of the shortcomings, and that GSOC is not being consulted in the real sense about the changes that are due, really sums up the Department of Justice and Equality. I...

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

Jim O'Callaghan: ...criminal activity. Is Mr. Fitzgerald aware from discussions with the Department or from his reading of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland's report whether it is intended that GSOC will have to deal with minor issues and will not have an option of referring them back to the Garda if the legislation is drafted in accordance with what appear to be the recommendations of the...

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

Jim O'Callaghan: Maybe I am wrong but I understand GSOC tried to get rid of minor level complaints about rudeness and gardaí not giving sufficient attention to members of the public. As Mr. Fitzgerald will understand, these are more related to discipline than to-----

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

Jim O'Callaghan: That was a good idea. How will the remit of the new independent office of the police ombudsman differ from the current remit of GSOC? I know that is a difficult question because Mr. Fitzgerald is not drafting the remit of the IOPO. I ask him to answer it based on his reading of the commission's report.

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

...;ochána on criminal activity or misconduct committed by a garda. If a person is in custody and says that he or she has heard that Garda X has done something egregious, that complaint may never reach GSOC but it can be interpreted as a complaint about the conduct of a garda. We have to be very clear about what we deem to be a complaint.

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

Jim O'Callaghan: Is GSOC frequently refused access to documentation by An Garda Síochána or has it previously been refused such access on the grounds of legal privilege?

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

Jim O'Callaghan: Why would such a case not come to GSOC? Was it because the Garda did not refer it or was operating a separate criminal investigation?

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

Mr. Kieran FitzGerald: There is no statutory obligation or pressure on the Garda to refer such cases to GSOC. When one reads in the newspapers that a garda has been returned for trial, what is worrying is that we do not know how many investigations occurred about which we never heard. They are the ones which are probably the most troubling. If a garda is brought to court on foot of a...

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

...excellent to work with. They are supported by Assistant Commissioner David Sheahan and, ultimately, the Garda Commissioner. There are people at a high rank who are clearly supportive of the work GSOC does and anxious for us to have co-operation. We do not just deal with chief superintendents, superindendents and assistant commissioners but it is at those levels we can run into...

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

Jack Chambers: I refer to the 500 complaints that were handed back, and I know we have had discussions with GSOC before. My colleague, Deputy O'Callaghan, mentioned the report from the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, but that is a different arena from where GSOC is at at present. What is the follow-through or audit of those cases that are handed back? Does GSOC seek an update on the...

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

Jack Chambers: ...a significant number of staff, and they have not got the communication, whether it is a positive or a negative result, the follow-through can break down confidence in some levels of policing. GSOC has engagement with an Garda Síochána. How does GSOC act on the general dissatisfaction that has been highlighted in this trend, in terms of its role, and how are the improvements on...