Vol. 571 No. 3
254 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the brief given to a company (details supplied) for the review of Garda Síochána operations for compliance with human rights standards; the criteria which was used when selecting these consultants; the cost of the audit; the way in which the audit will be conducted; and if a report will be published. [21579/03]
I have been informed by the Garda authorities that a request for tender, RFT, document for the supply of consultancy services to provide a human rights audit to the Garda Síochána, was issued in accordance with prevailing EU and public procurement regulations and guidelines. The RFT stated that the successful tenderer would be required to: identify the current degree of compliance in the policies and strategies of the Garda Síochána with the values enshrined in international policing practice; identify gaps, if any, in values compliance in Garda policy and strategy; make recommendations for future compliance; draft a comprehensive bibliography on values-led policing practice and policy; provide three bound copies of the findings of the audit and a copy in electronic format; and make a presentation of the findings of the report to senior Garda management.
The criteria set out in the RFT for the award of this contract, in order of priority, were: experience and methodology; price; professional competence and resourcing capability of the consultancy provider in the area of human rights analysis and/or auditing for human rights compliance; and presentation. The anticipated cost of the audit is €46,290, including VAT.
The audit is being conducted in three stages: stage one – desk based research on Garda policies, strategies and procedures; stage two – interviews with approximately 18 senior Garda management staff, focus groups with staff, several seminars with community groups, a survey of 4,500 Garda and civilian staff by postal questionnaire; and stage three – the results of the research will be codified in a report and presented to senior Garda management. Stages one and two are complete. The report and its findings will be made available to senior management of the Garda Síochána before December 2003. Subject to senior management approval, it is intended to publish the audit report on the Garda website.
