Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

The Bill, for the first time, provides for an independent system of promotions within the Garda with external people constituting the majority of every promotion board for sergeant, inspector, superintendent and chief superintendent. However, the three most senior appointments are dealt with on a discretionary basis by the Government. I assure the House I have gone through the process of filling the most senior position and party political attitudes had nothing to do with it but the Government of the day must have confidence, in the last analysis, that it is making the correct decision and it cannot hand over the process to somebody else. If one is in a position to fire somebody, one should be in a position to hire him or her and if one could not fire him or her, it would be a sorry day. I make no apology that the present system gives the Government a little discretion regarding the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner posts. Apart from that, the Bill will make it clear that the promotional system is operated independently and transparently with outside majority participation at every stage of the promotion ladder.

There have been people in the Garda Síochána who believed that somehow the Minister of the day influenced these decisions. People have come up to me during divisions and stuck notes in my pocket and so on, saying "remember so and so". This behaviour crosses the political divide. Every one of those notes goes into the wastepaper basket as soon as I get home.

Likewise, people think that the Minister transfers gardaí from one place to another around the country. No doubt that happened in the past but I have never had any hand, act or part in moving a garda from one place to another or anything to do with promotion. I will not do that. This legislation will bring about a new dispensation in regard to promotions, transfer and so on. Everything will be above board and transparent. The Garda Síochána deserves no less.