Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
787. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice further to the final terms of reference for the scoping exercise into the death of a person (details supplied), the reason she and her officials refused to provide a judge with the independent review mechanism report. [35723/23]
View answer788. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice if, further to the final terms of reference of the scoping exercise into the death of a person (details supplied), a judge requested the independent review mechanism report as required to fulfil the obligations of their appointment. [35724/23]
View answer791. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Justice if she will provide the terms of reference for the independent review mechanism's review into the death of a person (details supplied); and if the terms of reference were provided to a person to enable them to fulfil the obligations of their appointment to conduct a scoping exercise. [35730/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 787, 788 and 791 together.
The Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) was established in 2014 to consider allegations of Garda misconduct, or inadequacies in the investigation of such allegations, which have been made to the Minister or the Taoiseach, with a view to determining to what extent and in what manner further action may be required in each case. The IRM considered 320 cases.
Matters related to the Independent Review Mechanism are set out in detail in the final report published on the Department's website on 3rd of July. Specifically, Judge Haughton concludes in his final report that the IRM was intended as an internal process to provide legal advice to the Minister and was never intended as an investigation into the circumstances of Shane O’Farrell’s death.
The Scoping Exercise considered comprehensively all of the matters arising including the concerns and complaints raised with Judge Haughton regarding the Independent Review Mechanism.
