Susan O'Keeffe (Labour) | Oireachtas source

Several weeks ago, I raised the serious difficulties relating to the special investigations unit, SIU, in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and called for the Minister to attend the House to discuss them. At the time I described it as a private hit squad, and I reiterate that.

In the meantime, I am delighted the Minister has disbanded the SIU and put in place a restructured investigations unit which will have, I trust, new personnel and a new way of doing business. Over the years with the SIU, there was bullying both in and outside the Department, planting of evidence and destruction of people’s reputations and livelihoods willy-nilly with no accountability whatsoever. While I welcome the establishment of a new investigation division, there remain serious unanswered questions about the SIU’s past conduct and what will happen to those with outstanding court cases who believe they were seriously wronged by members of the Department. I do not make these statements lightly. I believe there is a moment for the Minister to explain why he has disbanded the SIU, what he hopes to gain from the new investigations division and how those people affected by the SIU’s behaviour over the past long number of years will be helped. There is also a question about the legal costs associated with the many cases that have been brought against the Department via the SIU. Who will pay these costs, which run to hundreds of thousands of euro? Is it the Department or some other agency?