Garda Bill to be published next month

JUSTICE MINISTER Michael McDowell is to publish the Garda Síochána Bill to establish a Garda Ombudsman before the Dáil reconvenes next month.

Publication of the bill comes after a year in which complaints to the Garda Complaints Board rose by 10%.

Announcing his legislative schedule for the coming term, Mr McDowell said the Garda Síochána Bill would not only reform the operation of the gardaí and provide for an independent Garda Ombudsman but would also "represent the most far-reaching reform of the structure and organisation of the Garda Síochána, since its establishment almost 80 years ago".

The bill also increases the obligations of garda management to report on police performance to the sitting Minister for Justice and the Oireachtas.

"It will ensure that the Garda Síochána is best organised to meet the complex challenges posed by policing in the 21st century, consistent with the need for transparency and accountability," said Mr McDowell.

The Garda Bill is one of a series of four justice bills to be published before the next Dáil term which includes the controversial and much maligned Disability Bill as well as the Equality Bill.

The Civil Liability and Courts Bill aimed at cracking down on fraudulent insurance claims will also be published in a matter of weeks.

The bill, part of the Government's determined drive to crack down on the cost of insurance, will require alleged accident victims to begin their legal action within a year, instead of three years, as is now the case.

People making claims will also face heavy fines and up to 10 years in jail if they make false witness statements, or give false instructions to their solicitor.

The Government has promised that the Courts Bill, along with the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (PIAB), which was formally established before Christmas and is due to be up and running in the new year, will reduce the cost of insurance by 30%.

The Disability Bill, which was first published last year, was scrapped after a furore by disability groups over the bill's lack of enforceable rights.

While the bill afforded many new rights to disabled people it declined to allow them go to court if those rights were not forthcoming.

This latest version of the Disability Bill is expected to contain a compromise which will afford all disabled people with an assessment of their needs.

However, disability groups have made it clear handing in a petition of 70,000 names this month that they expect a rights-based approach to be adopted by the Government.

In addition to the four bills to be published, Mr McDowell has a further 10 bills passing through the houses of the Oireachtas.

Bills before the Dáil include a Private Security Services Bill, to regulate security companies and bouncers, and the International Criminal Court Bill to give effect to the court in Ireland.