Ireland

McDowell announces further proposals to Garda bill

The Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, tonight brought forward extra amendments to the Garda Síochana Bill which will be…

Tue Jun 21 2005 - 01:00

The Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, tonight brought forward extra amendments to the Garda Síochana Bill which will be debated in the Dail tomorrow and Thursday.

The Dail is currently debating the final stages of the Bill, which contains proposals for an Ombudsman Commission and other reforms promised in the wake of the damning Morris Tribunal Report into garda corruption in Co Donegal in the 1990s.

The Cabinet earlier approved eleven amendments to the Bill at its weekly meeting.

Additional measures proposed by Mr McDowell tonight include:

  • A statutory obligation for gardai to account for their actions while on duty;

  • Extra powers for the Garda Commissioner to dismiss officers at garda, sergeant or inspector rank if he has lost confidence in their capacity to do their duties;

  • Strengthen provisions to make the Commissioner more accountable to the Government;
  • Ensure greater flow of security intelligence information to the Government;

  • Strengthen existing systems relating to officer promotion outlined in the Bill;

  • Statutory CCTV schemes;

  • More powers for Justice Minister to appoint a person to inquire into any aspect of garda operations

  • One member of the three-person Ombudsman Commission is to be chairperson. Mr McDowell said the extra measures would enhance public confidence in the force and make it more accountable to a sitting Government.

    He added that the legislation which gardai operate under legislation dated back to the 1920s and was creaking under the pressures of one of the most prosperous states in Europe.

    "The Garda Siochana is critical to the success and continued economic development of our society," he concluded.

    PA