REPORTS INTO PENALTY POINTS SHOWS TRANSPARENCY AND WILLINGNESS TO CHANGE TO UPHOLD PUBLIC CONFIDENCE - KENNY

Posted on May 15, 2013 5:39 PM   |   Permanent Link   

Dublin Bay North Labour TD and member of the Oireachtas Justice Committee Seán Kenny has welcomed the publication of the report from the Garda Commissioner into allegations which were made of improper cancellation of fixed charge notices by some members of An Garda Siochana.

"Since controversy arose relating to the cancellation of Fixed Charge Notices, it has been absolutely essential to ensure the maximum transparency possible with regard to the publication of any Report into any investigation conducted into the allegations made. An Garda Siochana holds a position of enormous trust and responsibility in our communities and it is of paramount importance that the public can be confident that the Garda Fixed Charge Notice system is, and is seen to be, fair and impartial and that any allegation of wrongdoing by a member of An Garda Siochana is treated seriously and properly investigated."

"Allegations of improper cancellation of Fixed Charge Notices made against some members of An Garda Siochana have to be taken extremely seriously and the Minister for Justice referred these allegations to the Garda Commissioner and requested that they be rigorously investigated.

"There must be no question mark hanging over the integrity of the Fixed Charge Notice system and in the application of penalty points and that no individual should receive preferential treatment because of their perceived status, relationship or celebrity."

"The law and any discretionary application of it to individuals must be administered fairly, with compassion and common sense and no member of the Garda Force should feel compelled by a person's position, relationship or celebrity status to treat that person any more or less favourably than any other person. Where application is made to terminate a fixed ticket charge, where possible and appropriate, material to support any application made should be sought while understanding in some circumstances no such material may exist or be obtainable."

"There must be proper oversight and transparency to the discretionary decision making process and the applicable rules and procedures must be fully complied with. All legal provisions, regulations, rules, protocols and procedures applicable to the termination of Fixed Charge Notices must be readily accessible to all members of the Garda Force and the circumstances, factors and procedures applicable to the termination of Fixed Charge Notices should be detailed clearly on the Garda website for the information of members of the public."

"As a member of the Oireachtas Committee on Justice, I will be examining these reports in full, but I believe that there has been no instances of corruption in our police force and that instances of bad practise will be rooted out, stopped and changed."

"I hope that the very comprehensive investigations that have been carried out in relation to this matter will reassure the public that their trust in An Garda Siochana is well founded and that any allegations of wrong-doing on the part of a member or members of the Force will be fully and properly investigated."