Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for repeating her remark. I had not heard her. The exact point we were trying to make is based on my agreement with her comment that I do not believe anybody would want to go into a Garda station and ask to have a look at the service plan nor would anyone want to go in to ask to see the strategic plan and, therefore, the suggestion being made is valid. For the strategic plan to serve the wider community and society, it has to be known, understood, bought into and supported. The capacity of the general populace in this regard will be greatly enhanced if the plan can be accessed easily. We appreciate there is a commitment to put the plan online. A library would be a more appropriate location. A commitment from the Minister on that point should be easy to make. It would serve to better inform the scrutiny of the plan and generate support for it. I hope she will consider this because we are trying to move our policing model to one that continues to enjoy broad public support while being given a strong strategic direction that allows the State's resources to be applied to it, such that the Garda, under its annual service plan, can actually deliver and perform according to citizens' desires and expectations. We want to set the Garda up to succeed and need to do so. The request is reasonable and I hope it is one on which the Minister can make a commitment here today.