Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill 2026 [Seanad]: Second Stage
Dail Éireann — 2026-09-16
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David Cullinane (SF), Waterford

I welcome the fact this Bill codifies Garda use of powers to stop and search, arrests, searches and seizures and detention. The point was made that it should not have taken eight years to get here but we are here and I want to welcome those elements of the Bill. Accountability in An Garda Síochána is really important so when we discuss Garda powers, it is also really important that we discuss oversight and accountability of An Garda Síochána. Some of those points have been raised already by my colleague but those points are really important.
It was also the case that the Policing and Community Safety Authority, PCSA, assessment of An Garda Síochána's performance published in December highlighted what it called "significant concerns" about the recruitment and retention of gardaí and Garda staff. Those concerns are well-founded and have been rehearsed and debated in this Chamber many times.
The issue of the protection of journalistic privilege has also been raised and I echo that. This Bill fails to explicitly recognise the right of journalists to refuse to reveal confidential sources. We believe the Bill needs to explicitly recognise the right of journalists to protect sources, which is arguably required to bring the law into line with the Supreme Court judgment mentioned earlier.
I raise a number of local policing issues because obviously Garda resources are really important. We talk a lot in this Chamber about the changing nature of politics, sometimes what is happening in the streets, and the impact that can have on politicians. However, we have also seen the impact it can have on An Garda Síochána. For example, we saw riots in Dublin and we have seen examples elsewhere of very difficult situations for members of An Garda Síochána and we have to make sure they are properly supported. Visibility and numbers are very important. My colleague talked about additional Garda numbers for County Cork. There were five additional gardaí for Waterford city and county. Bear in mind there was a demand for additional resources in places like Dungarvan, Lismore and Cappoquin but also in Waterford city. At the most recent meeting of the joint policing committee, the chief superintendent said that not one of those five additional posts will translate into community gardaí or gardaí on the beat. That is a concern. Visibility in areas is really important which I am sure the Minister accepts.
At all times we have to make sure we are equipping the gardaí to do their job. Many issues have arisen over the past couple of months. Some of them have already been raised and I am not going to go over them again. I am conscious of making sure we protect members of An Garda Síochána but I am also conscious that we have to protect the public. The public deserve to feel safe in their communities and they want Garda visibility. Sometimes they do not see it or sometimes it is not what it should be. That is not the fault of individual gardaí but it is a product of the legacy issues of recruitment and retention which have not been dealt with in my view. We still need to deal with those issues.
I will finish by raising the local issue in Waterford where, unfortunately, of the five additional gardaí we got, it was confirmed that not one will be a community garda working on the beat. I do not think that is acceptable.

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Retrieved: 2026-09-28T05:50:48+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-09-16