Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and I welcome the fact that the Bill is on this Stage. It is a very important Bill in terms of providing, at last, for a policing authority which will oversee the performance of the Garda Síochána. It has been widely welcomed across the House, will be a notable achievement of the Government and will have important benefits for the future of policing. I refer to what Senator Mooney said about the recent Garda Inspectorate report, Changing Policing in Ireland, known as the Olson report. The Garda Inspectorate will come before the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality at 2.30 p.m. today to discuss the 81 recommendations for change made in the report and explain how they could be implemented.

While the inspectorate is saying there must be a strong implementation group to drive a process of reform, it will take time. Some of the suggestions for change are fundamental, including a reduction in the number of Garda regions from six to three and a significant reduction in the number of senior managers. The report merits much wider discussion, which I hope we will have at the meeting of the justice committee. I particularly welcome the amendment allowing the Minister to require the policing authority in future to prepare a report on particular policing matters. The matters on which the inspectorate has reported are very important and deserve a more substantive debate.