Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I second Senator MacSharry's proposed amendment to the Order of Business. I ask the Leader to hold an urgent debate on the system of law and order and justice and to ask the new Minister to come before this House as soon as possible, certainly before the summer recess. I say this in light of the Cooke report and the fact that the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, with or without that report, has been structurally damaged. Garda morale is at a very low ebb. The relationship that existed, and still exists, between the Department of Justice and Equality and GSOC leaves much to be desired. The whistleblowers had no faith in GSOC and the former Minister, Deputy Shatter, treated them with disdain. When I was canvassing during the recent local and European elections, one of the most searching questions put to me was whether the justice system was, to quote the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar, "fit for purpose". It is a very serious issue.

While I do not want to be harsh on the new Minister for Justice and Equality, who has a tough task ahead, she owes a duty to this House. It was her political crèche during the previous Government and she should come here and indicate her plan to restore Garda morale and totally to reform and restructure the Department of Justice and Equality, which is like a dinosaur, old-fashioned, creaking and in need of reform. GSOC must also be totally reformed and restructured so the public can have confidence in it. This is the appropriate Chamber in which to have the debate and if there is no progress in it within the next week or two I will raise it by way of amendment to the Order of Business. While I will not table such an amendment today because I want to give the Minister a chance, she should come here before the House goes into recess in a few weeks' time and have a full debate on law and order and her plans to restore confidence in the Garda, GSOC and her Department. Such confidence is sadly lacking and the public has lost belief in these important organisations, and they must be restored as a matter of great urgency.