Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

Two sections form the essence of the Bill. Section 2 relates to lateral mobility and section 3 relates to secondments. As was suggested yesterday, the Minister should ensure that people will avail of the opportunities provided for in section 2 by applying for positions. I wonder whether, at some stage, opportunities for lateral mobility might be created at levels below that of superintendent. Qualification for the scheme is set at a very high level at present, so a member of the Police Service of Northern Ireland can apply for a position here, for example, but not below the level of superintendent. The same applies to members of the Gárda Síochana applying for positions in the PSNI.

This measure is very much to be welcomed and I hope that every encouragement will be given in that regard. It will assist and be of benefit to the police forces in both jurisdictions. In taking on board the whole purpose and raison d'être of the Patten report, the measure will obviously also assist in instilling confidence in and support for the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Senator Tuffy inferred, or even stated, that the Garda Síochána should be brought up to the standards of the PSNI. I believe we can be proud of the service we get from the Garda Síochána, and I certainly would not make any distinction between the two services in that regard. Whether there is an ombudsman or not is not particularly relevant to this section of the Bill. This is about people applying for positions. Whether we have the system in place in this jurisdiction or the ombudsman system that applies in Northern Ireland is germane to the whole import of the Bill but not this particular section.