No 20 of 2005 - Garda Siochana Act
What does this law do?
The purpose of this Act is to:
(i) reform the legislative structure for the management of the Garda Síochána, in particular by clarifying the role and objectives of the Force and defining its relationship with the Minister and the Government of the day;
(ii) provide for the establishment of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, the primary function of which will be to investigate complaints by members of the public against members of the Garda Síochána;
(iii) provide for the establishment of the Garda Síochána Inspectorate to advise the Minister in relation to the efficiency and effectiveness of the opertations and administration of the Garda Síóchána;
(iv) provide for new procedures relating to:
- the accountability of members of the Garda Síochána for the discharge of their official duties
- the duty of the Garda Commissioner to account and provide information to the Government, and
- the summary dismissal of certain ranks by the Garda Commissioner.
The Act also provides for new measures in relation to the establishment of Joint Policing Committees, a statutory basis for Garda and Community based CCTV Systems, provisions for the exercise of special powers by private security officers at State buildings and offices and the making of regulations relating to the reporting of corruption and malpractice in the Garda Síochána.
Contact Department: Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
Signed by the President on: 10/7/2005
Full version of the Garda Siochana Act 2005 on the Oireachtas website