Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions
Dail Éireann — 2026-09-16
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Ivana Bacik (LAB), Dublin Bay South

I am disappointed, frankly, to hear the Taoiseach's dismissal of these very serious issues. There are grave public safety concerns here. A Winchester sawn-off shotgun disappeared from Garda custody for 13 years. A protected disclosure was made in relation to that. This is in the public domain already. It referred to assertions against the Commissioner, Drew Harris. At that time, as the Taoiseach knows, the Garda Commissioner had to notify the justice Minister of this issue, as was required under the then section 41 of the Garda Síochána Act, now section 36 of the amended Act. Of course there was ministerial responsibility here. The questions we have to ask, from the Labour Party, clearly relate to ministerial accountability and oversight of the process as legislated for.
It is Kafkaesque and GUBU-esque if those who are in charge of protected disclosures within An Garda Síochána - who have to be independent, absolutely, under legislation - are being victimised and even purged by the senior leadership of An Garda Síochána. That is a matter of concern for the serving Minister of the day.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-09-16/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-28T05:50:48+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-09-16