Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 60: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the action he will take arising from the seven reports of the Morris tribunal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7600/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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As I indicated in my reply to question number 68 of 18 December 2008 the Morris Tribunal has completed its work and has produced a total of eight reports. The Government has already taken strong action on foot of its recommendations. This action includes:

the passage of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the most significant piece of legislation relating to An Garda Síochána in the history of the State,

the establishment of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission with almost 100 staff — including its own investigative staff,

the establishment of the Garda Inspectorate with its international policing expertise, as a source of independent and expert advice for the Minister,

new more streamlined discipline regulations,

the imposition on members of a legal duty to account for their official actions,

the empowerment of the Garda Commissioner, with the consent of the Government, to dismiss a member of garda, sergeant or inspector rank where he has lost confidence in the capacity of the member to discharge his or her duty and where dismissal is necessary to maintain public confidence in the Force,

new promotion regulations and a competency based promotion system,

a whistleblowers' charter and the appointment of an eminent former senior civil servant as a Confidential Recipient.

Other areas of organisational development and modernisation arising from the Commissioner's consideration of the first five reports have been progressed within the terms of reference of the Garda Síochána's published Corporate Strategy 2007 to 2009. These include a number of specific change projects under the chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner, Strategy and Change Management.

In relation to the sixth report, which dealt with the detention and questionings of suspects, I understand that a working group established by the Commissioner has developed a model for investigative interviewing which incorporates all the elements of the PEACE model proposed by Judge Morris. A comprehensive training programme to support this model has been developed and is being rolled out to student Gardaí.

The findings and recommendations of the seventh and eight reports of the Tribunal are currently being considered. All of these changes are indicative of unprecedented reform and a new era in policing and will go a long way to ensuring, as far as possible, that the events in Donegal will not be repeated. Finally, it is my understanding that the Dail Committee on Procedures and Privileges has established a sub-Committee to consider Mr Justice Morris's recommendations as to how public representatives should deal with anonymous allegations.