An Garda Síochána would like to thank once again Sergeant Maurice McCabe who brought these matters to the attention of ourselves and other stakeholders. Sergeant McCabe has played a very valuable role in reform of the system.
Following the Garda Inspectorate Report and the examination by the Garda Síochána Professional Standards Unit (which Sergeant McCabe played a key role in) into the Fixed Charge Processing System, An Garda Síochána introduced a number of measures to ensure such issues could not arise again.
An Garda Síochána welcomes GSOC’s finding that the "procedures for dealing with fixed charge notice cancellations have dramatically changed in recent years.”
The GSOC report notes that the number of Garda members with the authority to cancel notices has reduced to only three people. In addition, the GSOC report finds that the former President of the Circuit Court, Mr Justice Matthew Deery, who has since January 2015 acted as the oversight authority for the Fixed Charge Processing System, has conducted two audits of the system and "has reported substantial compliance with the revised policy”.
In addition, as GSOC notes, all cases involving a Garda members seeking to have fixed noticed cancelled on the basis of performing official duties in their own vehicles are now referred to the Office of DPP for independent determination.
GSOC said, "It appears from the first two reports of the oversight authority that these changes are sufficiently robust to ensure that the new system cannot be circumvented in the same way as the previous one appears to have been. The safeguards now in place and the oversight processes now in operation should start to rebuild public confidence”.
An Garda Síochána will continue to closely monitor compliance with the revised policies and procedures relating to the Fixed Charge Processing System to ensure the high levels of compliance are maintained and there is public confidence in the system.
