Latest news with #OireachtasJusticeCommittee
Irish Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Daily Mirror
Garda Commissioner says controlled delivery to Evan Fitzgerald 'fully warranted'
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has insisted that the controlled delivery of firearms to Evan Fitzgerald was "fully warranted and proportional". Mr Fitzgerald, 22, shot himself dead in front of shocked shoppers in the Fairgreen Shopping Centre in Carlow on June 1, just days before he was due to face court on ammunition and explosives charges. Commissioner Harris confirmed to the Oireachtas Justice Committee on June 10 that the firearms Mr Fitzgerald was due in court for were part of a controlled garda delivery. At a hearing of the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee (PAC) today, Labour TD Eoghan Kenny questioned whether the operation was necessary. Commissioner Harris stated that gardaí's actions were justified but said he could not provide details on how much the operation cost. He said: "I do believe the operation was necessary. I reported to the Minister on the operation, and indeed, a file was submitted to the DPP [Director of Public Prosecutions] as well. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week "They accepted that file and there were charges preferred in respect of those firearms but also then other items, including explosive items as well. "I do think in terms of public safety and the danger there was to the public that that operation was fully warranted and proportional." He continued: "This matter is still before the courts. There are still two individuals who are being dealt with in front of the courts. "I don't want to elaborate further, but I think once more detail emerges through the court process, people can see then for themselves, actually, why this operation was entirely proportional." In the Seanad, earlier this week, former justice minister and attorney general Michael McDowell stated under privilege that this was a "case of entrapment". He said: "Apparently, Mr Fitzgerald sought firearms on the dark web, the protonmail aspect of the dark web. "Apparently, Interpol or some other international agency alerted the Garda to this inquiry. "The response of the Garda was to arrange to meet Mr Fitzgerald and to conclude a deal with him in which gardaí persuaded him to take an automatic rifle and a semi-automatic pistol for a price of €2,700. "They then arranged to meet him for delivery of these firearms for a price of €2,700. "Mr Fitzgerald came with two childhood friends [...] and they took delivery of the firearms in the car of one of his friends. "The car proceeded some distance away to another place, where it was intercepted by members of An Garda Síochána, who smashed the windows, dragged out the occupants and made an arrest." When Fine Gael TD James Geoghegan asked the Commissioner the difference between entrapment and controlled delivery, Mr Harris said he had referred Mr McDowell's remarks to Garda Commissioner Fiosrú for their consideration but had yet to receive a response. Deputy Geoghegan further asked Deputy Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly why the fact that there was a controlled delivery was not mentioned in Mr Fitzgerald's bail hearing. Mr Kelly said: "In my experience, the detail of the controlled delivery would often come out, obviously, if there's a full hearing. If there's a contested trial, all that detail will come out. It will be unusual to come out in a bail application." Commissioner Harris said that the firearm Mr Fitzgerald used in Carlow Shopping Centre when he took his own life was stolen during a burglary and was not from garda stock. Elsewhere, the Commissioner acknowledged that the gardaí are not going to hit their annual recruitment target of 800 gardaí. He said that 640 gardaí are expected to attest from the Garda College in Templemore in 2025. This is expected to bring the total strength of the force to 14,500.
Irish Examiner
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Justice committee ends after heated exchange during minister's questioning
The Oireachtas Justice Committee ended abruptly after the chairman and vice-chair engaged in heated exchanges during questioning of Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan. Committee chairman, Sinn Féin TD Matt Carthy was questioning the minister on the cost of international protection centres used to accommodate asylum seekers when vice chairwoman, Fine Gael TD Paula Butterly interrupted him. The Louth deputy said the chair was not sticking to the purpose of the meeting — which was on department of justice estimates. Mr Carthy responded by saying he was the chairman, to which she replied she was the vice chairwoman. He asked her to be 'quiet' and as the exchanges intensified, she told him to 'do your job as chair properly'. She said members asked specific questions relating to the estimates and claimed Mr Carthy was going away from that to other questions. She added that the minister had indicated he would come back in September or October to talk about International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) centres. Mr Carthy, representing Cavan/Monaghan, said his questions did relate to the estimates and claimed that there was 'clearly an agenda to undermine' him as chairman and that he would not tolerate it. He asked committee officials to silence Ms Butterly's microphone and pointed out that he had allowed every other member to speak for a long time and did not interrupt them and that his questioning was taking up less time. Mr Carthy then ended the meeting. Both he and Ms Butterly got off their seats and met each other half way and continued their exchanges as the live feed was cut. Before the vice-chair intervened, Mr Carthy told Mr O'Callaghan that there were 'huge concerns' regarding IPAS, and said the lack of information about them fuelled local rumours and fears. He told the minister that the contracting of private operators was happening 'in secret and in the dark' and questioned Mr O'Callaghan why they were being paid so much. Mr O'Callaghan said he was trying to get away from using private contractors and said that was why he purchased City West hotel in Dublin and that state-owned properties were the answer. He said he had instructed his officials to get the 'best value for money' in contracts with private operators. Earlier in the hearing, Labour TD for Tipperary Alan Kelly also questioned the minister about IPAS centres, including the use of the remaining hotel in local areas. On other issues, Cork North Central TD Padraig O'Sullivan said that in a reply to a parliamentary question he was told that the number of detections of drivers caught with a mobile phone have soared, from around 18,000 in 2022, to 19,000 in 2023, before jumping to around 22,000 in 2024. The Fianna Fáil deputy said that there has been 7,000 detections by March 2025 and said that if that number continued the country was 'looking at the high 20,000s' by year's end. Mr O'Sullivan said drivers were not only on their phones but looking at their iPads or operating various apps on elaborate car screens and were partially responsible for rising accidents and deaths. Minister O'Callaghan said driving while looking at devices was 'highly dangerous' and said 'deaths are caused by it'. He said the government and road authorities have to be 'relentless' in combatting this and cited improved garda detections and improved road conditions. He said drivers need to realise that there is a good likelihood they will be caught and will face consequences. On other topics, Minister O'Callaghan said: The dispute over garda subsistence and travel allowance had been 'going on too long' but that the agreement of Revenue was needed; He said reverting the pension scheme for gardaí who joined after 2013 back to the previous scheme would 'probably make the job more attractive', but said this would cost a 'very significant amount of money' as it would have to apply to all the public sector; Gardaí suspended from duty were 'entitled' to have investigations completed as quickly as possible.
Extra.ie
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Extra.ie
Policing model ‘an unmitigated disaster and unfit for purpose'
The Operational Policing Model (OPM), in place since 2019, has been an 'unmitigated disaster and is not fit for purpose', the Oireachtas Justice Committee will be told today. The OPM was introduced as part of the Government's reform programme, titled 'A Policing Service for Our Future', which emerged from the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland. Both the Garda Representative Association (GRA) and the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) will today outline their ongoing opposition to the new model. The general secretary of the GRA, Ronan Slevin, will say: 'The aim of this model was to modernise AGS [An Garda Síochána], by decentralising decision-making, enhancing community engagement, and improving frontline visibility. This has proved to be an unmitigated disaster and is not fit for purpose.' Ronan Slevin, General Secretary. Pic Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos Mr Slevin will add: 'This has created super-sized divisions that span across many counties and has starved communities of local stations and policing. In many ways, division is the key word here, as that is exactly what this model has caused between our trusted, dedicated members and the public and communities that they serve. 'Prior to the implementation of the OPM, Ireland possessed the most desired model of community policing in the policing world. As a result of the OPM, the local garda has been stripped from the community. 'Where previously the majority of incidents in country areas were investigated by the local garda, which resulted in increased local knowledge, now, under the OPM, most incidents, while investigated, are done so by gardaí stationed miles away with little or no knowledge of the community, and no real reason to expand that knowledge.' Pic: Collins Photos The AGSI, will say it is the 'resounding view' of its membership that the OPM has had a 'profoundly negative' effect on policing, and warn that it is 'well known' there is significant public dissatisfaction with the service delivery provided by the gardaí following its introduction. They will say it has been adapted from similar models utilised internationally, but will add that a 'fundamental and fatal flaw' is the architects of the Irish version 'failed to take account' of the unique policing and geographical requirements in this jurisdiction. It will say: 'The AGSI are now of the view the current operating model has negatively affected interactive community policing in this country. 'It is no surprise international police forces have recognised the fundamental flaws with the operating model and are withdrawing from this and returning to more traditional policing models.' The AGSI will acknowledge that there have been some 'positive developments' that have arisen out of the operating model, such as business services hubs, which transfer administration tasks to Garda staff. The association will say: 'The creation of Divisional Protective Service Units has been a very positive development for the organisation. However, this is an initiative that was not reliant on the introduction of the operating model and could have been established under the previous traditional policing model.' On retention, the AGSI will warn 'excessive' oversight and social media are some of the 'causes' affecting Garda morale. The GRA, meanwhile, will say there remains a 'massive issue with morale' with little action taken to address it. It will say that the continuous issuing of policies and procedures that members must comply with, and the excessive use of discipline and suspension, have resulted in members being in fear of receiving any form of complaint, as there is little trust in the discipline process.
