Gerald Nash (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I would appreciate if I could get the view of the Minister on whether special powers need to be in improved or implemented in a different way. However, I thank the Minister of State for the response.

Many more gardaí need to be deployed to the Drogheda area to make sure that people feel safe. This is a time members of the public should support the work of the Garda. In this context, I was surprised to hear that a local Sinn Féin Deputy took to the airwaves last week to make some serious claims. The Deputy claimed that there is a perception that local gardaí are protecting certain players in the local drugs scene because they are of value to them as informers and that is done with what might be described as a nod and a wink. Drogheda is extremely tense at the moment and these serious accusations have made the situation considerably worse for the gardaí in the area. The local chief superintendent challenged those views on local radio earlier. He said that these kinds of uncorroborated claims have "tarnished every member of An Garda Síochána", which was an unprecedented slapdown. If anyone has any evidence whatsoever that points to any form of collusion, or the unlawful use of intelligence or its improper gathering, then there is an obligation, particularly an obligation on Oireachtas Members, to bring that information to either a senior member of An Garda Síochána to have that matter investigated or to take that information to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, to have those matters investigated.