Vol. 549 No. 2
5 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the action he proposes to take to resolve the dispute with members of IMPACT who are employed in the forensic science laboratory; and the steps he has taken to implement the recommendations contained in the consultant's report relating to staffing and other matters in the laboratory. [6155/02]
I can inform the Deputy that discussions are ongoing between my Department and the union which represents staff in the forensic science laboratory with a view to resolving the threatened dispute with members of IMPACT who are employed in the forensic science laboratory and with a view to the implementation of the recommendations contained in the consultant's report in relation to staffing and related matters. I hope these discussions will lead to an early resolution of the matter.
Can the Minister explain how his fight against crime is facilitated or assisted by ignoring the Deloitte & Touche report on changes needed in the forensic science laboratory and doing nothing for a period of 12 months? What is he doing to ensure that staff in the forensic science laboratory do not commence industrial action on 4 March? Can he confirm that there are over 10,000 cases regarding which materials and other matters await analysis which are currently outstanding in the laboratory, 5,000 of which have been outstanding for over six months, 9,000 of which relate to drugs offences and 1,000 of which relate to other offences including murder and manslaughter? Will he confirm that should this industrial action take place, its effect will be that the Garda will be deprived of essential backup assistance, prosecutions will be delayed and investigations will be disrupted? Will he acknowledge that the manner in which he has dealt with this issue indicates complete and total gross incompetence in undertaking his duties?
I note that the word "incompetent" has tripped lightly off the Deputy's tongue in the past week. Members of the Garda have been singularly successful in drugs seizures in recent times. In this context the work of the laboratory has increased dramatically. I take the opportunity to pay the warmest possible tribute to the, in the main, young men and women of the national drugs unit. They have been an outstanding success and they are a tribute to the force as they would be to any police force in the world.
There are arrears due to the circumstances I outlined. These are in the chemistry section, the biology section and the drugs section. Over the last three years, 27,280 cases have been received and a total of 8,914 cases are awaiting analysis. Of those, 6,963 were received in 2001, which is an indication of the workload of the people involved in the unit. It is true that we have a staffing problem in this excellent unit and that we require additional staff. I have consulted the Government about this matter and we are in discussions with the unions. There was a meeting this morning about the matter. I hope we will be able to resolve this in the near future and that we will be in a position to give the laboratory the resources it requires.
Will the Minister explain to the House why he has ignored for 12 months the recommendations of consultants that an additional 17 staff are urgently required? Why has he ignored for 12 months recommendations that additional resources be provided for the laboratory and that it be restructured in the manner sought by the staff since 1999? Will the Minister acknowledge that the tremendous success of the Garda Síochána and the drugs unit is being completely undermined by his failure to provide the forensic science laboratory with the staff it needs? This was an urgent requirement 12 months ago. Is the Minister telling the House that the Government has made a decision to implement the consultants' report and that the additional 17 staff are being recruited? When can we expect those positions to be advertised?
Obviously, I am not in a position to go into detail about the discussions which are taking place with the union at present. However, I am doing everything I can to try to resolve this matter, recognising the seriousness of the situation and the need to ensure that the laboratory operates efficiently. The laboratory oper ates on the basis that cases are categorised as A, B or C and urgent cases are dealt with first. I am satisfied that prosecutions in relation to matters being investigated by the laboratory will not be dropped as a result of the present impasse. I am confident that we can resolve these problems and it is untrue, unfair and unjust of Deputy Shatter to suggest that I have been ignoring the laboratory – far from it.
Will the Minister acknowledge that he is engaging in crisis management and that it is inevitable, as a result of some drugs seizures not being analysed, that various prosecutions for possession of illegal drugs will not now be possible?
I do not accept that. It is entirely inaccurate.
