Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 401: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the steps that have been taken to resolve complaints made to the outgoing Garda Síochána Complaints Board but not resolved before the start up of the Garda Ombudsman on 9 May 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31378/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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On 9 May 2007 the Garda Síochána Complaints Board had 499 complaints which had yet to be finalised under the Garda Síochána (Complaints) Act, 1986. The Board also had 40 cases awaiting a Tribunal hearing. In accordance with Section 111 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, 72 complaints were transferred to the newly established Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. The Board's remaining 427 complaints were processed to finality during 2007, 2008 and 2009. During the same period the Board finalised, with the exception of one case, all Tribunal hearings including an additional 27 cases which were referred during 2007 and 2008 by the Board to Tribunal, in accordance with Section 7(5) of the Act. The Board's final Tribunal hearing was finalised on 15 February 2010.

In addition, in the period since 9 May 2007 the Garda Síochána Complaints Board has been involved in 25 court cases arising from various complaints which it has actively sought to have finalised/struck out or otherwise closed. At present only two such cases involving the Garda Síochána Complaints Board remain outstanding in the Courts. The Board must continue to exist while these cases are before the Courts