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13
June 2005
Green Party critical of flaws in Garda Bill
The
Green Party today reiterated its call for the serious flaws in the proposed
Garda Ombudsman Commission to be addressed.
Ciarán
Cuffe TD, Green Party Justice spokesperson, said today that, “Instead of the
proposed three-person Ombudsman Commission we need a single Ombudsman with
overall responsibility.”
“It
is vital that the Commission should also have independent staff. But the Garda
Bill provides for the employment of Gardaí by the Ombudsman Commission. It also
provides for the delegation of the Commission’s powers to those Garda members.
Justice Morris says in his report that the question ‘Who can I turn to?’
recurred again and again to those affected by these events in Donegal. The
Minister’s answer in the Garda Bill is: A Garda seconded to the Ombudsman
Commission. This is not acceptable.”
“The
fact that the ombudsman should notify the Garda Commissioner before any
investigating visit to a Garda station is ludicrous. The recent scandal of
conditions in our nursing homes underlined that an inspection visit which is
notified in advance is one which is pointless. We support the call from Senator
Maurice Hayes for the Ombudsman Commission to have the power to carry out
unfettered investigations.”
“The
Morris tribunal has clearly shown that a properly independent body to
investigate fully any complaints made against the Gardaí is urgently
required,” concluded Deputy Cuffe.
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