Press release
Minister McEntee welcomes the latest Policing Authority report on the performance by An Garda Síochána during the COVID-19 health crisis
Published on
Last updated on
Published on
Last updated on
The Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee TD, has today welcomed the sixteenth Report from the Policing Authority on the performance by An Garda Síochána of its policing role in the support of the COVID-19 public health restrictions.
Minister McEntee said:
"I am grateful to the Policing Authority for the valuable work they have undertaken over the course of the pandemic. The Reports on the performance of An Garda Síochána in policing the public health regulations have provided an independent and transparent assessment of the Garda response to the pandemic.
"Thanks to the work of the Authority, we can all be confident that An Garda Síochána will continue to serve our communities, continue to employ the graduated response which has achieved so much, and continue to adapt to the evolving situation."
Over the course of the pandemic, the Poling Authority have maintained contact with a broad cross-section of civil society organisations to gauge the reception and attitude to An Garda Síochána and the public health guidelines. In preparing the current report, the Policing Authority have reflected on these consultations and how the experience of communities has evolved over the course of the emergency public health measures to the present time.
Minister McEntee continued:
"There is much from the Policing Authority’s Reports that will inform the future direction of policing in Ireland and much to reflect upon for maintaining and enhancing the public confidence across all communities that has been garnered during the pandemic.
"I welcome in particular the focus in this report on the role of policing as a public service. This is very much at the heart of the policing reforms that we are working with An Garda Síochána to implement.
"The relationship between An Garda Síochána and the communities it serves has been strengthened during the pandemic.
"I am confident that bond can be maintained and built upon. I also know that An Garda Síochána is committed to ensuring that its relationship with all our communities is as strong as possible."
The Minister concluded:
"I would like to congratulate An Garda Síochána on the very valuable work they have undertaken in reaching out to vulnerable victims of domestic abuse and I acknowledge the very real challenges for Garda members in maintaining public confidence during the period of public health restrictions, and beyond.
"However, I have seen how Gardaí have constantly addressed the challenges, how they have adapted to the evolving situation and how they have been resilient in delivering for the public in the face of risk and uncertainly. I would like to thank the women and men of An Garda Síochána for their continued exemplary public service."