Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

This section dealing with security officers worries me. It proposes that by giving a uniform and a badge to somebody that person will have the powers of a garda. I am totally opposed to that. When some people get a uniform and a badge they lose their heads. This section gives them the powers of the gardaí including "to seize, in exercising powers under this section, any weapon other than one in the possession of a person with lawful authority;". These are powers that only the gardaí should have. It is not acceptable to give voluntary forces and security people similar powers to those of the gardaí. There should be nothing of that sort in this Bill.

I do not object to civilians doing jobs at desks and other such jobs to enable more gardaí to go out on the streets. This, however, gives security officers the same powers as the gardaí. What does the Minister of State mean by "adequate training" for these people? If the security people are to have the same powers as the gardaí they should have similar training to the gardaí in those areas. I oppose giving Garda powers to security officers. This would be a retrograde step. The gardaí are the guardians of the peace. That is how it should be, they have served us well since the foundation of the State. To give powers in other areas to quangos and other people is not acceptable. I oppose this section.