Yesterday, a former garda, Paul Moody, received a sentence for coercive and violent behaviour towards a former partner. Senators will recall that this former garda is currently serving a sentence for coercive control of a partner. This latest incident predated the person who made the report in the case of the sentence he is now serving. The very brave Nicola Hanney reported absolutely horrific abuse and coercive controlling behaviour, following which he received a conviction. Remarkably, the woman in the case dealt with yesterday was in a relationship with Paul Moody prior to Nicola Hanney and had made a complaint to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, back in 2017, but it was not properly investigated. He remained a member of An Garda Síochána until 2021 when Nicola Hanney made her report and he was suspended from the force.

GSOC, now Fiosrú, says it has started an internal investigation to see why such delays happened, why this man was allowed wander the streets looking for further victims and why more women were subjected to his abuse. He is a danger to society. I hope we all remember his name and see his face because no woman is ever safe with Paul Moody. If he did it once, if he did it twice, he will do it again. I am sure there are many other victims of this horrible, vile abuser out there and I hope they have the strength to come forward.

I want to know why such delays occurred in investigating this. This woman made her complaint in 2017 and the complaint was discontinued in 2023. Fiosrú has said the level of delay is unacceptable and it has made reference to Covid which, of course, happened in 2020. That is three years. What happened in the previous three years? Why was he allowed be a member of An Garda Síochána and have such power and use that power to terrorise women - to terrorise the two survivors I referenced here and possibly plenty of other people? How are women supposed to have faith in An Garda Síochána or in Fiosrú when something like this happens? There are serious questions there. We need to have a serious look at how the institutions of the State deal with abusers within their ranks.