Suspended gardaí investigations
Deputy Crowe asked for faster investigations into suspended gardaí, including one suspended for nearly ten years. The Minister said disciplinary matters were for the Garda Commissioner and noted the new Garda Reserve campaign would open in the new year.
I have a question for the Minister for Justice. Thankfully, that ridiculous vote last week is out of the way and we can get back to focusing on Garda resources. I have two questions-----
Comment on this
There are approximately 113 gardaí currently suspended, which, to put it into perspective, is approximately half of the total cohort of gardaí in my own county. I am sure some of them have done awful things while others have done very minor things but at the very least natural justice should prevail and the investigations, led by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, should be sped up. One of the gardaí concerned has been suspended for almost ten years, which is ludicrous. They are still being paid. Surely the investigations need to be sped up and back on the ground. Surely the Garda Reserve should also be open to recruitment. At the moment the portal for joining the Garda Reserve seems to be closed. Surely now, on foot of those awful riots in Dublin, it is the right time to be recruiting people to the service, ensuring that we have more Garda visibility on our streets.
Comment on this
On the last question, the new Garda Reserve campaign will open in the new year and will be the first such campaign since 2017. Disciplinary matters are very much for the Garda Commissioner and are not something for which I am responsible.