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SIMON O’BRIEN, Chairman of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) says he has “no intention of resigning” nor do any of his commissioner colleagues.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland about the investigative report into a Sunday Times article on the alleged bugging of the GSOC headquarters, he said that there was “no evidence” that the the 15 people interviewed for the report leaked information.
The report, compiled by Mark Connaughton SC, was unable to confirm the source of ‘bugging’ leak.
Excerpts of report
The full report has not been released, only excerpts of it were issued last night.
O’Brien said the report found that no one with direct responsibility for the bugging investigation leaked information.
He clarified that all three commissioners were part of the interview process for the report and that those with direct responsibility for the investigation does include the commissioners.
O’Brien said that details disclosed in Sunday Times article does show that content was “prepared with some assistance” from someone within the security sweep investigation, but reiterated that the report found that none of the 15 GSOC interviews found any evidence that they disclosed information.
Moving on
He said that GSOC had learned from the affair and they “wanted to move on”.
“We learn from what has gone on in the past and from that you build for the future,” said O’Brien, adding that he wanted the public and gardaí to have confidence in their service which he said is “important and impartial”.
“We have learned from what happened, we are moving forward,” he added, stating that the organisation has the confidence of the public and the current minister for justice.
O’Brien said he had no intention of stepping down from his position, adding that there was “positive legislative change” on the way and “I want to be there to see that through”.
I am an honourable man… I want to continue to lead this organisation through this difficult period.
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He also said the Gardai and the public can have confidence in his agency after the PART publication of a report into the leaking of information to the Sunday Times – What utter rubbish. This is an absolute scandal that won’t get much attention as it doesn’t suit certain media outlets and the governments agenda and where are Wallace, Daly the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and transparency international now. They would be all clambering for sound bytes and cheap shots if this were a garda scandal but no this is hypocrisy at its highest level. This report has to be fully published immediately.
clancy wiggum @ your name fits the agenda your are pushing you have no id no name and nobody knows who you are you are a hidden PR mouth piece
He shouldn’t have to resign – he should be thrown out.
Another GSOC article using a Garda photo, inappropriate yet again, plenty of photos of the GSOC office on file, but then the Garda element will get ye more hits
Donkey balls!
The media will back GSOC, no matter how incompetent or inept they are. . The damage that GSOC has done to the reputation of the Gardai with their false claims of bugging seems to be of no consequence to the media. How could any member of the public or a member of the Gardai have confidence in the 3 commissioners. If the Garda Commissioner published half of a report, every media outlet would be falling over themselves calling for his/her resignation – where is the fairness and balance. It can only damage the oversight of the Gardai and we all know that that is necessary but GSOC need to act with integrity and competence.
They should all resign in there as it’s a well know fact that this all occurred due to a power struggle in GSOC between certain people . Obviously one of them leaked the story to John mooney of the Sunday times and here we stand now !
The wonderful barrister couldn’t even figure out the basics in his investigation !
But probably still got paid a fortune to reach his ” non result”
Me thinks there could have been political interference in that also !
What is the point in joining the Gardai if you can’t get you friends off driving tickets, it’s just one of the perks
How about a lie detector test for everybody concerned. They could all go on the Jeremy Kyle show.
Seriously wire them up and ask the questions.
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