Minister for Justice must move on GSOC’s reform plan

The Social Democrats have voiced strong support for today’s call by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission for a radical overhaul of the legislation governing its operations to make the system of garda complaints and oversight fairer, more transparent and more efficient. Party co-leader Róisín Shortall TD called on the Minister for Justice to move swiftly […]

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Toland Review group should monitor and oversee reform in dysfunctional Department of Justice

The independent Toland Review group which found the Department of Justice to be closed and secretive should be invited back to conduct an urgent progress update on its reform recommendations, the Social Democrats said today. The party’s co-leader Róisín Shortall TD said: “The events of the past few days have exposed major problems once again […]

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Minister for Justice must end evasion and answer key questions about McCabe email affair

Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan still has important questions to answer in relation to his department’s handling of the McCabe email affair, the co-leader of the Social Democrats, Róisín Shortall TD, said tonight. Deputy Shortall accused the Minister of evasion in how he handled a series of questions which she raised with him in the […]

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Outside expert must head up review into Department of Justice’s email trawl

The inquiry into how Department of Justice emails released last night were missed in the first trawl of documents for the Charleton Tribunal must be led by an independent external expert if it is to have the full confidence of the public, the Social Democrats said today. Speaking following Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil, the […]

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Minister Flanagan has questions to answer

Róisín Shortall, the co-leader of the Social Democrats, has called for Minister for Justice, Charlie Flanagan, to explain his role in the Maurice McCabe email affair. Speaking today after Leaders’ Questions, Deputy Shortall said; “There is an understandable focus on the Tánaiste’s role in all this. However, it is becoming clearer and clearer that the […]

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Long waits for free legal aid must be urgently tackled

People seeking free legal advice are currently facing waiting times of up to 76 weeks for appointments at Legal Aid Board law centres, according to the latest figures released to the Social Democrats. The figures show that combined waiting times for first and second consultations at Legal Aid Board law centres on 1st July 2017 were […]

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