Civilian specialists are needed to fill senior positions within the Garda Síochána and underpin its effectiveness in our increasingly complex society. Equally, there is an urgent need to reform and restructure the organisation to ensure its resources are being used to the optimum effect. Both of these issues were addressed in complementary reports released yesterday by Tánaiste and Minister for Justice Michael McDowell. However the need for a police authority, that would put a healthy distance between the Department of Justice and the Garda Síochána, has been quietly ignored.
Modernisation and reform will take years to work through. And the process will be painful for some serving members. But the goal of creating a police force that reflects best international practice in its structures and operations is worthwhile. In that regard, Kathleen O'Toole of the Garda Inspectorate and a specialist group led by Senator Maurice Hayes are in broad agreement in proposing a tighter management structure at senior executive level; the devolution of new powers to regional officers and the recruitment of civilian expertise.
Apart from administrative reform, the Garda Inspectorate laid emphasis on the need to counteract excessive specialisation within the force. It made a point close to the heart of many citizens when it emphasised the importance of uniformed personnel and of Garda patrols. This public visibility - the lifeblood of the organisation - had not received "appropriate priority", it found. And it urged a change in culture and an increase in resources for uniformed activities. At a time when drugs-based family feuds and drive-by shootings have made parts of Limerick city extraordinarily dangerous, the need for greater Garda visibility and patrolling has never been so urgent.
The importance of continuity and the preservation of expertise within the force was underlined as the Garda Commissioner, a deputy commissioner and six out of 11 assistant commissioners prepare to retire within three years. As part of a reform programme, Mr Hayes proposed maximum civilianisation to fill specialist posts, including that of Deputy Commissioner for support services, and he underlined the need to develop a skill-pool of experienced, well-trained and motivated people with leadership potential. He also urged change in the composition of recruitment and promotion boards.
The response of Government will influence the future effectiveness and efficiency of the Garda Síochána. But the issues addressed are limited in their nature. Having championed the reforms of the Patten Commission in Northern Ireland, the Government failed to adopt a similar radical approach in this State. Instead of a powerful Police Ombudsman, we got a three-person Ombudsman Commission. Instead of an overarching Police Authority answerable to the community, we were given a Garda Inspectorate answerable to the Minister and the Department of Justice. The reforms to date have been both welcome and necessary, but they are incomplete.