Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 July 2021
442. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Justice when she requested updates from the Policing Authority in relation to the cancelled 999 calls issues; the updates she has received; the dates they were received; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36043/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra443. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Justice the communications she has received from the Garda Commissioner in relation to the cancelled 999 calls issues; the updates she has received from the Commissioner; the dates they were received; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36044/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra444. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice the specific technical issues that were described to her and her officials by the Garda Commissioner on or about December 2020 with respect to computer aided dispatch system. [36051/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra445. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice if she will provide the documentation or details of the explanation provided by the Garda Commissioner and his colleagues to her and her officials with respect to the technical issues relating to the Garda computer aided dispatch system in 2020 and which was also referred to at the public meeting of the Policing Authority in or around December 2020. [36052/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra446. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice if she made any indirect and or direct contact with the Garda Commissioner in order to ensure any reference to the service failures and cancellation of category 1 999 emergency calls from the attention of the Policing Authority until the late Spring of 2021 (details supplied). [36053/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 442 to 446, inclusive, together.
Any inappropriate cancellation of 999 calls is a very serious issue. This falls significantly below the high standards that the public expect from the Gardaí and the high standards that An Garda Síochána set for themselves. I am particularly concerned that anyone experiencing domestic abuse, and indeed anyone in a vulnerable position, who summoned the courage to seek assistance may not have received it.
I welcome the apology that has been made by the Garda Commissioner and the Commissioner has assured me that when someone calls 999 now, they can expect and trust that An Garda Síochána will help. That should of course always be the case.
As the Deputy will be aware, An Garda Síochána wrote to the Secretary General of my Department on 4 December 2020 to inform the Department that a number of 999 calls had been cancelled on the AGS Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system and that An Garda Síochána was carrying out a review of the reasons behind this. An Garda Síochána also brought the issue to the attention of the Policing Authority the same month. Minister McEntee wrote to the Policing Authority on 5 February 2021 to request that the Authority oversee the review being carried out by An Garda Síochána in this regard.
Following Minister McEntee's request, the Policing Authority wrote to Minister McEntee with updates on 17 February 2021 and 27 April 2021 and to myself with an update on 7 June 2021. The Garda Commissioner wrote to me with an update on 16 June. I have also been briefed by both the Commissioner and the Chair of the Authority.
Once the Authority has completed its work, I will examine its conclusions and take any action that needs to be taken on foot of its report.
