I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that the investigation is continuing and that it is expected it will be completed in the near future.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Leaked Document Investigation.
1.Mr. S. Bennett asked the Minister for Justice if he will outline the up-to-date position of the Garda investigation being carried out into the leaking of a confidential Garda document to the Provisional IRA in April, 1991; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
That is an extraordinary reply. The question referred to the alleged leaking of a Garda document to the IRA in early April. It is quite extraordinary for the Minister nearly two months later to say that he cannot give any indication as to whether the allegations had any foundation, having regard to the damage this sort of allegation can have on confidence in the Garda Síochána, to the damage resulting from statements made by members of Parliament in Northern Ireland that there was collusion between the Garda Síochána and the IRA, and in view of the fact that this resulted in the death of a County Tyrone man.
As the Minister for Justice informed the House when the investigation commenced, it is necessary that the investigation be thorough, wide-ranging and complete. The investigation is concerned with the unauthorised possession of a Garda document which received a considerable amount of circulation in the force. The interviewing of relevant personnel and the necessary follow-up action obviously takes some time. We do not want to have a rushed or incomplete investigation for the sake of producing a report in a hurry. It is essential that the investigation be thorough and that we learn lessons from it. As the Minister said earlier and as I said in my initial reply, the Commissioner has informed us that it is expected that the investigation will be completed fairly shortly.
As a result of what happened, have there been changes in relation to the keeping of confidential information passed between the RUC and the Garda Síochána? Are there new procedures in place? Will the findings of this investigation be made public and has there been any contact with the British authorities in relation to these allegations?
The report was not ordered by the Minister for Justice nor by the Department although we were in consultation with the Garda Commissioner immediately it became known that a journalist had been given a photocopy of an internal Garda document. The Garda Commisioner is responsible in law for the internal administration of the force, as well as being the head of the Garda Síochána who are responsible for the investigation of criminal offences. It was with both of those aspects in mind that the Commissioner appointed a senior Garda officer to investigate the matter. The Garda Commissioner and the senior officers reviewed the situation immediately after the discovery that this document has been leaked. I am not privy to exactly what changes were made but I know some changes were made. Everything depends on the completion of the report. It is a complex and delicate situation. We await the report. As soon as it becomes available the Garda Commissioner will take appropriate action.
One final supplementary——
I am anxious to dispose of the other questions also, consequently my disinclination to remain unduly long on any one question.
Would the Minister agree that this is not solely a matter for the Commisioner of the Garda Síochána, that it affects the security of the State? Would the Minister not accept that the Government are responsible for the security of the State and for relationships with the authorities in Northern Ireland which are absolutely necessary if we are to defeat terrorism?
I do not have a problem in accepting that the Government are ultimately responsible for the security of the State. We are fortunate to have an excellent police force and excellent relations between the Department of Justice and the security section of the Department and the Garda Síochána. We are in constant communication in all matters. This is a serious situation. We are awaiting the report and as soon as it becomes available appropriate action will be taken.