Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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13. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide in detail action taken by her on the findings of the Garda Inspectorate report chapter relating to the Guerin report and the Secretary General vacancy in her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1416/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will no doubt recall, I requested the Garda Inspectorate to consider the issues identified in the report by Seán Guerin SC relating to Garda practices and procedures which come within the Inspectorate's remit. The Inspectorate included this work in its report on Crime Investigation which was published on 11 November 2014. That report deals with the issues identified by Mr Guerin in an addendum, and groups them into themes which are covered in the main body of the Inspectorate’s report. In respect of each theme, the addendum indicates the issues identified in the report by Mr Guerin, and relates them to the relevant findings and recommendations of the Inspectorate.

The Garda Inspectorate notes in its report that it was not within its remit to duplicate Mr. Guerin's work but rather it set out to review the process issues raised in his report which are relevant to Garda practices and procedures. This was in the context of the Inspectorate's statutory remit to ensure that the resources available to An Garda Síochána are used so as to achieve and maintain the highest levels of efficiency and effectiveness in its operation and administration.

The Inspectorate did not include any additional recommendations as a result of its consideration of the matters highlighted in the Guerin Report and concluded that the majority of the issues raised in the report in connection with crime investigation were consistent with the Inspectorate's findings as part of their overall examination of Garda practices and procedures.

As such the issues identified therefore fall to be addressed as part of the overall process to carry forward the recommendations contained in the Inspectorate Report.

In this regard, as the Deputy will be aware, when I published the Inspectorate report I welcomed it as forming an important component in the overall justice reform programme underway. Implementation of this programme, including the reforms recommended by the Inspectorate is being overseen by the Cabinet Committee on Justice Reform, chaired by An Taoiseach.

There will also of course be a central role for the new Police Authority and Garda Commissioner in implementing the identified reforms. An Garda Síochána has already taken important steps to follow through on the Inspectorate’s recommendations with the establishment of an Implementation Steering Group to immediately focus on the implementation of the short,medium and long-term recommendations in the Report, and I am engaging with the new Commissioner on this process. In particular, the Garda Policing Plan is being revised to take into account changes being made as a result of the recommendations contained in the report.

In addition, in advance of the establishment of the Policing Authority, I intend to hold discussions with Josephine Feehily, the Chairman-designate, on the establishment of an effective implementation framework to oversee delivery of reforms in An Garda Síochána.

I should add that the question of the appointment of a Secretary General is not an issue addressed in either the Guerin report or the Garda Inspectorate Report.