asked the Minister for Justice if it is his intention to appoint a director of security; if not, why; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Director of Security.
34.
The Government some months ago created a special post of Assistant Commissioner in the Garda Síochána with wholetime responsibility for security. That is as far as I consider it either necessary or useful to go in this matter.
Again I must express dissatisfaction with the derisory information the Minister is giving the House. This is a pretty important question in the context of the Government's lack of will and lack of initiative in the area of security. Why will the Minister not now appoint a director of security, to direct security operations as they arise? For instance, in the context of the Portlaoise break-out, why was there not an immediate situation brought about then?
May I refute the Deputy's suggestion of lack of will or anxiety by the Government in this area? The performance of the Government and the anxiety of the Government in this area is well known and their task would be less difficult if their heritage was not as it is. I want to make the point that the question asked was whether it was our intention to appoint a director of security. What I said is that a special post of Assistant Commissioner in the Garda Síochána with whole time responsibility for security has been made. It would be inapt in this area of security to start detailing here his role.
The Minister is well aware of my concern that security arrangements should not become public but my point here is that this director of security would liaise or would be in charge of the Army and the Garda and the other security forces within the State in the event of a particular situation occurring and that this man would have the overall control of security operations. Is the Assistant Commissioner who has been appointed security officer in close touch with the Army at all times?
The Deputy has defined what he thinks should be the role of a director of security. I do not necessarily accept the Deputy's definition. He can take it, however, that the Assistant Commissioner to whom I referred is in close and frequent liaison with the Army authorities.
I have at least tried to define the role of a director of security. The Minister has not tried to do that.
No, because I consider that is not an apt thing to define publicly.