Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As was said, amendments Nos. 47 and 48 are similar and we have considered them together. Amendment No. 47 relates to section 63, which provides for the preparation by the Garda Commissioner of a strategic plan for An Garda Síochána. Amendment No. 48 relates to section 65, which provides for the preparation by the Commissioner of the annual service plan for An Garda Síochána. What the amendments seek to do is oblige the Garda Commissioner, in preparing such plans, to have regard to the public interest.

Again, I fully appreciate where the Senator is coming from but looking at the Bill overall, I think this is already covered by the obligation on An Garda Síochána and the Garda Commissioner, in particular, to have regard to relevant policies and objectives of the Government. In addition to this specific requirement, the policing principles that have been set out in section 4, and which underpin the provision of policing services in the State, set out the key principle that has the public interest at its core, namely, that effective policing improves the safety of individuals, communities and localities. For those reasons, I do not think this is necessary. The term “public interest” is not defined and could be seen as somewhat subjective in this context. Section 4, which underpins the provision of policing services, as well as the obligations of An Garda Síochána, covers what the Senator is trying to achieve and what she has just outlined.