Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 20 Nov 2001

Vol. 544 No. 3

Adjournment Debate. - State Laboratories.

Mr. Shatter:

I cannot resist the temptation to draw to the attention of the Minister of State, Deputy O'Dea, that if my colleague, Deputy Ring, was playing to the gallery, the gallery must be invisible in the House at this time of night.

The issue I am raising on the Adjournment relates to the fact that there are almost 5,000 criminal cases delayed for up to six months because of staff shortages in the State Forensic Science Laboratory. The delayed cases include sexual assaults, drug offences, armed robberies and other violent crimes according to the union official, Ray Ryan, of IMPACT. We have had the problem for a considerable time and I and other Members have raised the difficulties being experienced by the Forensic Science Laboratory in the past by way of parliamentary questions to the Minister.

The Minister came to office on the much abused slogan of zero tolerance. We now know the State forensic laboratory is overburdened with work and there is an increasing backlog of criminal prosecutions and cases awaiting the outcome of essential testing which must be undertaken in the laboratory. A report by Deloitte & Touche eight months ago recognised the need for additional staff. It recommended that 14 extra technical and professional staff be taken on at the laboratories. To date, no staff has been recruited. The position remains that the backlog continues to accumulate. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform or his Department somewhat lamely suggest that the problem derives solely from work the laboratory has had to undertake in relation to foot and mouth disease. There were problems in this area prior to the foot and mouth epidemic which hit Great Britain and caused so much concern and worry in this House.

I ask the Minister to explain the reason the additional staff recommended by the consultants have not yet been recruited, other recommendations made by Deloitte and Touche have been ignored and, in particular, the Minister, in pursuit of his obligations as the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, has not obtained sanction from the Minister for Finance to allow the recruitment of staff.

It is a false economy not to recruit staff in this area. It places at risk the efficient workings of our criminal justice system, unnecessarily delays the bringing of prosecutions through the courts and leaves the victims of crime in a state of uncertainty and concern as to whether the crimes to which they were subject will come before the courts. They are also left worried as to the length of time elapsing between the commission of a crime and the date at which they are called into court to give evidence.

This must give rise to genuine concern that the delay in undertaking essential laboratory works will ultimately render it impossible to proceed to court on foot of evidence obtained at crime scenes so as to facilitate a successful prosecution being brought against those responsible for criminal acts. The Minister is in dereliction of his duties in allowing matters to develop to the extent that 5,000 criminal cases are now held up due to shortages in the State laboratories. I call on the Minister to address the matter with great urgency and explain to the House the reason for the delay in implementing the recommendations of Deloitte & Touche.

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue):

I thank Deputy Shatter for raising this matter and giving me the opportunity to update the House on it.

As the Deputy is aware, the Forensic Science Laboratory plays a very important role in the criminal justice system. The laboratory operates in a supporting role to the Garda Síochána in the forensic evaluation of evidence gathered by the Garda in relation to all types of crimes, including murder, rape, serious assaults and drug seizures.

I am aware that the workload of the Forensic Science Laboratory has been on the increase in recent years due in no small measure to the success of the Garda Síochána in targeting and prosecuting certain types of crime. This year the increase has been considerable.

The Government's approach to dealing with the interlinked problems of drugs, crime and social disadvantage and Garda operations such as Dóchas and Cleanstreet have resulted in significant drug seizures and continue to prove effective in targeting on-street drug dealing. These operations, in addition to the dramatic increase in referrals to the laboratory of suspect cattle ear tags for examination – about 2,000 to date this year – have undoubtedly led to an increase in the workload of the Forensic Science Laboratory. The vast majority of cases awaiting examination are those relating to drug seizures.

A review of the operation, workload and career structure of the laboratory was recently completed by management consultants. In their report the consultants made a number of recommendations, including procedural changes in the laboratory to improve efficiency and the recruitment of additional staff. The question of additional staffing resources for the laboratory to deal with the increase in workload is being discussed by my Department with the Department of Finance.

The quality of the forensic evaluation and evidence provided by the Forensic Science Laboratory to the courts has always been held in high esteem and it is my intention to take measures to ensure this will continue and that no prosecutions will be dropped or cases collapse due to delays in the processing of evidence by the laboratory.

During my period in office the Government has increased the resources of the laboratory significantly. For example, the funding for the laboratory has increased from £1.4 million in 1996 to over £2.2 million this year. Staffing levels have also increased. There were 41.5 staff serving in the laboratory in 1996, now there are 50. These increases in staff and resources were achieved to deal with the increases in workload during that period.

I stress that, in relation to the processing of evidence, the management of the laboratory has instituted a procedure whereby cases in which management is notified that the result is urgently required are expedited.

The Dáil adjourned at 10.20 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 21 November 2001.