Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Arising out of what Senator Feighan said earlier, it is important for us in this House to look at what has emerged in respect of the governance of An Garda Síochána. In my view, what has emerged is disgraceful. A systematic pattern of cover-up, procrastination, deception and facade-keeping has characterised the management of An Garda Síochána.

The issues with the fixed charge penalty point system have been known for a considerable period of time. The people who knew about it did nothing about it until it came into the public domain. To say that they instituted an audit within the force to examine it is wholly unacceptable. When it is found out that there is a problem, the Minister is told. There is a really big problem here. It looks to be in the region of 10,000 to 15,000 miscarriages of justice. We are on the ball now. We are going to do something about it.

This same applies to the mandatory alcohol tests. The problem was known about. Even Gay Byrne signalled the alarm on the basis of a former Garda reservist who had resigned in disgust on the basis of a letter sent to him two years ago. Nothing was done about it thought there were signals everywhere.

The third point I want to make is that we do not need a Patten Commission or a root and branch reform of An Garda Síochána based on some lengthy process. We need action now. We need the Minister with responsibility, that is the Tánaiste, to institute the changes that are necessary in a matter of weeks. An Garda Síochána needs to be led by somebody who the force has faith and confidence in and who the public has faith and confidence in. That situation does not exist now.

There is an idea that we can kick the can down the road and that we can have another major inquiry, which might take two years. How long did the Patten Commission take for that matter? We cannot wait. An Garda Síochána must be reformed now. There is one person who has ministerial responsibility under the Ministers and Secretaries Act to ensure that reform starts now and that is the Tánaiste. She must put in place a leader of An Garda Síochána who commands public respect now. Not later, now.