Written answers

Thursday, 27 April 2006

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Garda Ombudsman Commission

5:00 pm

Photo of Liz McManusLiz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 8: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress made with regard to the establishment of the Garda Ombudsman Commission; the number of staff recruited to date; when he expects that the commission will be in a position to begin dealing with complaints from the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15649/06]

Photo of Michael McDowellMichael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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On 12 December 2005, I made an order under the provisions of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 establishing the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. On 13 December 2005 the Government decided to nominate the following persons for appointment by the President to be members of the Ombudsman Commission: Mr. Justice Kevin Haugh to be chairperson; Ms Carmel Foley and Mr. Conor Brady. Subsequently, resolutions were passed by each House of the Oireachtas, as required by the Act, recommending their appointment, and they were appointed by the President on 10 February 2006.

I am pleased to inform the House that I provided a provisional budget for 2006 of €10 million to the Ombudsman Commission. I draw the attention of Deputies to paragraph 23, page 12 of the Report of the Implementation Review Group on the Garda Síochána Act, chaired by Senator Maurice Hayes, which states that they are satisfied that this provisional budget is adequate.

Under the Act, it is a matter for the Ombudsman Commission to recruit its staff, subject to my consent and the consent of my colleague, the Minister for Finance, as to numbers and grades. A key determining factor in the staff projections of the Ombudsman Commission will undoubtedly be the balance it will strike between directly investigating complaints and referring complaints to the Garda Commissioner for investigation, with or without supervision. The Ombudsman Commission is now in discussions with my Department and the Department of Finance in relation to the filling of a number of senior posts in the organisation, and these discussions should be concluded shortly. The Ombudsman Commission will then have to recruit and train its staff. I expect that this will be a continuing process over the remainder of this year and that it may take up to early next year before the Ombudsman Commission is in a position to start receiving complaints. It will also have to secure permanent accommodation.

I should say that, following its establishment, I arranged to provide the Ombudsman Commission with a small transitional team from the staff of my Department to act as a temporary resource until it secures its permanent staff. I have also provided it with temporary accommodation.

I am satisfied that the members of the Ombudsman Commission are making good progress in preparing the organisation to be ready to start receiving complaints in early 2007 as planned.

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