Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 February 2014
11. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the person that undertook the internal audits of fixed charge notice cancellations in November and December 2013; the method used to carry out these audits; if he will commit to publishing all internal audits of fixed charge notice cancellations on a regular basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5350/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing the publication of the two Garda reports on fixed charge notices the Garda Commissioner established an implementation group to revise the Garda Policy document on the Fixed Charge Processing System and to implement the recommendations from these reports in consultation with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. The output from this work was a circular from the Commissioner which significantly tightened up on procedures for the cancellation of Fixed Charge Notices. This set of revised procedures, which includes audit arrangements to ensure compliance, issued to all members of the Garda Síochána on 30 August, 2013.
I am advised by the Commissioner that the Assistant Commissioner, Traffic, the Garda Professional Standards Unit and Garda Internal Audit Section have undertaken, and will continue to undertake, regular audits of the cancellation of fixed charge notices against the revised cancellation procedures. Audits to date include the following:
- The Assistant Commissioner, Traffic has conducted an audit of decisions to terminate by selected Divisional Officers and all those examined were found to be in accordance with policy.
- The Garda Professional Standards Unit has conducted an audit of decisions to terminate fixed charge notices by 24 Garda District Officers. All decisions examined were found to be in accordance with policy.
- The Garda Internal Audit Unit has conducted an audit of non-discretionary cancellations at the Fixed Charge Processing Office. The audit found that the office was complying with the revised procedures.
I am further advised that the Assistant Commissioner Traffic will report annually to the Commissioner the findings of these audits and that the Commissioner will, in turn, submit a report on the matter to my Department. I will consider publication of such reports in due course.
