Gay Mitchell
Question:1 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice if she will invite independent consultants to comment on the recent Garda Strategy Policy Document; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Garda Strategy Policy Document.
Liz O'Donnell
Question:16 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Justice given the recognition in the recently published five-year corporate plan for the Garda Síochána that more women need to be encouraged to join the Force, her views on whether this could best be achieved by the introduction of job sharing and more child-friendly hours for mothers; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Liz McManus
Question:23 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Justice her views on the recent five year strategy published by the Garda Síochána; if it is intended to provide the resources to allow the strategy to be implemented; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1, 16 and 23 together.
On 14 April last the Garda Commissioner presented the five year corporate strategy document for the Garda Síochána to me in line with the commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government 1993-1997 to prepare such a plan to enhance their capacity to fight crime in present day conditions.
The Garda Commissioner and I have since sought publicly the views of interested parties on the plan. I do not propose to invite independent consultants to comment on the document. The document is however being reviewed by senior officials in my Department and the Department of Finance in conjunction with Garda management. When this review is complete and the views of those interested considered, a definitive strategy document will be drawn up. I will then seek Government approval for the implementation of the five year strategy on a phased basis.
With regard to women in the Garda Síochána the corporate strategy document provides for a policy of equality of opportunity in the force and I am sure that this will lead to a greater number of women gaining promotion to the supervisory ranks. However, work-sharing is not available to members of the Garda Síochána at present and I can foresee that there could be problems with its introduction in the force for operational reasons.
Would the Minister agree that in this car-alarmed, shop-alarmed, house-alarmed, shuttered city, although this report is welcome in so far as it is a formal response, some form of independent examination is required so that this House will know whether the report is an adequate one given the level of the problem involved? If the Minister is not prepared to refer this document to independent consultants, given that the report states that it requires a period of public discussion, will she agree to refer it for open debate and discussion to the new Select Committee on Legislation and Security?
The Garda authorities are the people best equipped to advise me and the Government in relation to operational matters and development of the force. This is the first time in the history of the Garda that a policy strategy document has been prepared. This is just the first stage and when all the views requested publicly by the commissioner and myself from the Garda Representative Association, the public and any groups who wish to make such views available, have been considered and the document amended accordingly, the definitive policy document will be published. I will then bring it to the Government for implementation. That is the best way forward.
If at this stage I introduced a committee, a commission or independent consultants I would be accused by Deputies on the other side of the House, including Deputy Mitchell, of longfingering proposals to bring the Garda Síochána into line with the 21st century. For that reason I do not propose to invite an independent consultant or consultancy group to look at the document. Many proposals in the document are being carefully considered by the Department and Garda management. We will welcome all proposals and I am sure many will be put forward by members of the public, including Deputy Mitchell.
Is the Minister aware that the report states that in the 31 year period from 1960 to 1991, the last year for which figures are available, with the exception of the year 1985, the highest number of burglaries and robberies occurred in 1991? Would the Minister agree that these figures reflect only reported crime? This report needs to be examined either by the Select Committee on Legislation and Security or by some independent body to determine the true level of crime. As it is clear that people have simply stopped reporting crime, all crime is not taken into account in the Garda response. If the Minister is not prepared to refer this report to independent consultants for comment as to its accuracy and worth, will she refer it to the Select Committee on Legislation and Security for independent consideration?
I have answered the latter part of the Deputy's question.
No, the Minister has not.
In relation to crime figures, there is a number of questions on that topic on today's Order Paper and I do not want to pre-empt my reply to those questions.
Will the Minister agree to refer this report to the select committee?
So much for the committee system.