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THE SERIOUS CRIME Review Team within An Garda Síochána was set up in 2007 and is responsible for looking at old cases, or ‘cold cases’ as they are commonly known.
In an interview with TheJournal.ie, Garda Inspector Kevin Daly who works on the team of 14 people, explained that the process is not quite the same as what people see on TV, though there are similarities.
“It’s a very busy job, we engage with a huge number of requests for reviews and not all of them can be undertaken at any time because of the workload present, the feasibility or the backlog,” he said. Most of the cases his team deal with are homicides, serious sexual assaults and missing persons.
The unit also reviews cases where there has been an allegation or dispersion in the public domain about how an investigation was carried out.
Requests for reviews of investigations come from a variety of different groups – it is not limited to families and friends of victims. Often, an advocacy group will request a review, as well as legal representatives, politicians and local investigators.
In some cases, Daly said a retired garda may submit a case for review because they “saw a glimmer of hope back then but couldn’t solve it and believe there’s something there”.
Advances in technology – particularly in the area of DNA – have made it possible to move on a number of cases and in some, bring closure to families.
As with modern investigations, witnesses are also key and Daly said it often happens that a person’s attitude has changed or they are now willing to give information to gardaí that they hid during the initial investigation.
However the unit is not responsible for re-investigating the cases – rather they review the original investigation and see if it can be built on. Daly explained that the unit’s aim is to examine old investigations and ensure it conforms to best practice guidelines.
“We assist local investigators in bringing it to success by identifying further investigative opportunities,” he said. ”If we identify a weak practice, then we disseminate that to improve future investigations, as opposed to being critical of individual investigators.”
We have to look at it from an impartial, unbiased point of view and give a fair analysis. Without being personally critical of anyone, we have to call a spade a spade. That’s what will give the public confidence in us – it has to stand up to scrutiny. So we’re very careful that it’s accurate.
“We’ll often be able to say that a garda did a good investigation and you have to remember we’re working with hindsight,” he added. “You have to be conscious that decisions at the time are pressured, whereas we get to sit back and review it so it’s easier on us.”
He pointed out that a review “may not result in the resolution of a case.”
I can’t say that we’ve solved a case – it’s the resulting work by local teams that brings that about.
Daly also said the unit has to be “mindful of the time of the investigation and not compare it to current standards”.
“It can be difficult looking at cases this old because of the lack of available material at he time, witnesses or recollection mobility,” Daly explained. In this instance, a preliminary review of the investigation concluded that there was no potential for further review.
Certainly, it’s never too late.
“Sometimes the success is in bringing an answer to a family or being able to say that you’ve explored every opportunity and every avenue is exhausted,” Daly added. “It may also exonerate an individual known in the area as a prime suspect because they were questioned in the past.”
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This is the issue when another business gets involved ie a union, that feels it has to do something to keep its members. They could be on the best terms and conditions and payment in the planet and you would still have issues with union involvement … I think Ryanair were wrong to recognize them …
@Shane Zerbe: They recognised the unions because pilots were already striking. There’s a number of large European low-cost airlines (Norwegian, Easy Jet, Wizz Air, some traditional / flag-carrier airlines) that now provide better pay & benefits than Ryanair for pilots and crew.
If they were willing work with their staff to bring in better pay / conditions then the unions wouldn’t be needed or asked for. They last thing they want is all their pilots to start moving over to other airlines. Emirates is a good example of an airline that is struggling with big pilot shortages over bad pay / conditions and is now badly suffering and having to cancel many flights/routes because of it.
@Shane Corry: yeah that’s the free market working the way it should. There’s no need for union involvement. They’ll end up destroying the airline by going too far. The lunatics always end up running the asylum.
From what I read there is a shortage of pilots worldwide. Why don’t the Ryanair pilots just leave and take a job elsewhere. Surely if there demands are reasonable the other airlines will have no problem in paying up.
@Dave Doyle:
Lots of them did, which is precisely why those that remained were in a strong enough position to demand union recognition from Ryanair.
@Dave Doyle:
“Why don’t the Ryanair pilots just leave and take a job elsewhere?”
They do. Norwegian for example (The biggest european low-cost airline operating the same aircraft type as Ryanair) has been actively poaching many pilots which has partly led to the situation they are in now.
@Shane Corry: Norwegian has failed to return a profit in the last ten years, great to work for though. Long may it continue.
I love Ryanair. I get cheap flights, they arrive on time. During the ash cloud crisis, went to Alicante for 4 nights ended up staying for 12. They paid for my accommodation and food for the extra 8 days we stayed there. Also, Knock airport didn’t charge me for parking my car for the extra days I was away. One of the best holidays, I ever had.
@Maggie O’Sullivan: my flights weren’t cheep, over 1380.00 for 4 of us. If they strike Thursday I hope they treat us like they did you. Here’s hoping.
@Maggie O’Sullivan: I agree completley. People have short memories. Before Ryanair, Aer Lingus had a monopoly in Ireland and were charging extortionate airfares. I remember paying £250 for a flight to London on a cold October day over 30 years ago. The reason the likes of Aer Lingus and BA now have half reasonable airfares is because of Ryanair putting pressure on them. Before Ryanair, only the rich could fly and it seems like many people want to go back to thoes days. I’ve been able to travel all over Europe because of their low fares but some media outlets are even trying to blame Ryanair for cancelling flights because of the french air traffic controllers going on strike. Some people just love complaining.
@Lily: I hope they do!! I’ve never had any faults with them.
@Tom O’Brien: thanks Tom. It’s not even the cheap flights, the passengers bring alot of revenue to other countries which is badly needed. Long live Ryanair, I say!!!!
@Maggie O’Sullivan:
They were legally obliged to pay for your accommodation and food. They fought it every step of the way though.
Hopefully the unions will destroy Ryanair, the company has simply gotten too big for its boots in our socialist republic.
Oh no how will them poor Spanish and Portuguese holiday makers get to costa del Bunmahon now
@liam mc laughlin: bitter much?
@EvieXVI: Get humour much?
I hope Ryanair go bust because they treated me and my family very badly a few years ago.
I am trying to bundle with eir last month or so emailing calling they meant to send me sim card to switch. Every time they to call me back nada. One rep even pretended he d a bereavement to avoid me switching. 180 a month between the 2 bills versus 106 to include mobile in bundle. Any recommendations re leaving eir comreg options etc.
Oh no, how will them poor spani
@liam mc laughlin: Well done Liam
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