The Morris Tribunial - Time has come for a Garda Ombudsman

gandalf

Well as most people saw the Morris Tribunial 2nd report was published today and it pulled no punches at all. http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0601/morris.html

Even I was surprised by some of the outright deceitful and criminal activities of the Gardai involved. This more than anything else should lead to a Independent Garda Authority being set up to hold the force accountable and protect those Gardai who do their jobs, putting their lives at risk like the men who twarted the Post Office Raid last week.

mycroft

gandalf wrote:

Well as most people saw the Morris Tribunial 2nd report was published today and it pulled no punches at all. http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0601/morris.html

Even I was surprised by some of the outright deceitful and criminal activities of the Gardai involved. This more than anything else should lead to a Independent Garda Authority being set up to hold the force accountable and protect those Gardai who do their jobs, putting their lives at risk like the men who twarted the Post Office Raid last week.

It's just over three years since the RTS riot on Dame Street, which occured two weeks before a general election, every party made the ombudsman a priority, and demanded it.

The ombudsman's powers in the current legislation are limited in scope and inferior in power to Nuala Ni Loan's office.

I'm floored, three years on and despite having the finest model for a police investigative force in the western world we still don't have an ombudsman, and the potential one will be less powerful and effective that the working model we have to go on.

Heavens to betsy Mc Dowell would offend the Garda Representive Association.

Nuttzz

what i dont like is that gardai are allowed resign after something like this, so they are out of a job but keep heir pension, they should be sacked IMO

Villain

I have to say Brendan Howlin and Jim Higgins derseve a lot of credit it here, if wasn't for them this tribunal would never of been setup.

However I think the terms of reference were too narrow to get a full picture of what happened here, some of the comments from Noel Conroy the Garda commisioner were just awful saying a lot of good work had been done in the investigation of the death of Mr Barron!!. The dept. of Justice should also have been fully invesitagted.

Also while Mr McDowell was attorney general he recommended that there shouldn't be a tribunal of enquiry!. He has also failed to act on the 12 recomendations that were in the tribunals first report!

The large majority of Gardai in this country are hard working honest people who carry out their duties in a professional manner, however for their sake and for the sake of the nation the members of the force who have been found to have been invovled in wrong doing in this tribunal should be sacked immediately and charges brought for obstruction of Justice. Then without delay an indpendent Garda Authority must be established.

Quantum

We may well want an Ombudsman to deal with complaints from the public but what we really need is an Internal Investigation Branch of the Gardai that is part of the Gardai but separate from it in terms of strcuture and responsibility.

This branch should investigate all events where a weapon is discharged and all events where Gardai behaviour or practice is in doubt. It should have immediate suspension powers.

The Ombudman should refer complaints from the Public to the IIB where appropriate and monitor it's investigation process on these complaints as it then reports to the Ombudsman.

CathyMoran

Appologies for the slight aside - please feel free to remove: does anyone know if the Central Hotel fire in Bundoran in 1980 (where 10 people died including my then 6 year old best friend) was included in the terms of reference for this tribunial - there was talk of it being included but I have never managed to find any further information on same.

Villain

CathyMoran wrote:

Appologies for the slight aside - please feel free to remove: does anyone know if the Central Hotel fire in Bundoran in 1980 (where 10 people died including my then 6 year old best friend) was included in the terms of reference for this tribunial - there was talk of it being included but I have never managed to find any further information on same.

Nope I don't believe it was included, not 100% certain though. I do remember FG calling for it but I don't think it went any further.