Sinn Féin Justice Spokesperson, Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has described the Garda Inspectorate report into crime investigation as “a major milestone in Irish policing”.
The Donegal TD called on the Minister for Justice, Frances Fitzgerald to immediately establish a Criminal Justice Service Group to implement the recommendations in the report.
Deputy Mac Lochlainn said: “The Garda Inspectorate is a comprehensive and devastating critique of the systems within An Garda Síochána. It is a major milestone in Irish policing and reveals that our police service is simply not fit for purpose based on international best practice.
“The criticism in the report of the new Garda rosters, lack of Garda vehicles and the loss of trained Garda to admin duties are a particular embarrassment to this Government. Their programme of cutbacks was labelled as “modernisation” and “smart policing”. That spin has now been exposed for all to see.”
He concluded: “The Garda Inspectorate has called on the Government to establish a Criminal Justice Service Group to implement the recommendations in the report. They also again call for the establishment of a Criminal Justice Working Group to implement the recommendations of their previous report on the Fixed Charged Processing System (penalty points). It is absolutely vital that the Minister immediately establish both.
“As the report points out, not only have the Irish people been failed but also the majority of the decent men and women of An Garda Síochána. We all deserve a modern, fit for purpose policing service.”
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