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THE ASSOCIATION REPRESENTING garda superintendents has rejected a suggestion by the Garda Ombudsman that they could be accused of a ‘cover-up’ because they are not informing Gsoc about criminal investigations involving gardaí.
They were responding after the head of Gsoc made comments to the Oireachtas Justice Committee this morning. Gsoc chairperson Judge Mary Ellen Ring, said it was troubling that An Garda Síochána continues to conduct criminal investigations of its own members without the knowledge or participation of GSOC.
An Garda Síochána is not required to inform the ombudsman’s office of all internal disciplinary inquiries and criminal investigations of gardaí.
Judge Ring said this practice “flies in the face” of the recommendation of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland (CoFPI) that all complaints against An Garda Síochána be routed through the ombudsman to determine what action should be taken.
This practice runs the risk of allegations of cover up or bias or corruption when it becomes known that such investigations have been carried out internally.
It runs the risk that fair and independent investigations are not seen as such by the public because they were not notified outside the organisation. Most importantly they run the risk of undermining public trust significantly if such internal investigations go wrong.
Speaking at the Association of Garda Superintendents annual conference today, its president Noel Cunningham said he would like “a bit of clarity” around Judge Ring’s comments.
“It’s very difficult to understand any suggestion of cover-up,” he told reporters.
“It doesn’t make sense that somebody would be trying to hide an investigation or suggest that it’s not happening, because generally an investigation like that – especially a criminal matter – will have witnesses and the witnesses will be civilians, will be persons not involved in the organisation.
“So you’re not going to cover up them, you’re not going to hide their complaint. If they have a legitimate complaint, obviously they’re entitled to talk about that too so it just flies in the face of reason for me but, again, I’d like to get a greater understanding and maybe Judge Mary Ellen Ring would give us that clarity.”
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Sure gsoc find the gards guilty until inncoent. They dont trust them anyway
@O Hiongardail Collie: Garda don’t seem to trust Garda. Hense the growing number of whistle blowers.
@Daithi Ó Raghallaigh: so many of them know of the criminals within but
say what you want about the guards, but of all the main stories of a member being prosecuted, the majority have been prosecuted by a fellow Garda and not GSOC. The DPP also have to make a decision. so it’s difficult to hide. GSOC seem to constantly be complaining. They should look at their own behaviour. What about the poor sergeant in Donegal who committed suicide after they failed to tell him he was clear of his complaint!
No change in the GDA force, still the same corrupt,deceitful, culture going on.
@@mdmak33: all of them?
@Patrick James Walsh: typically from Irish politicians, they set up a garda ombudman purely for show, but gave no real powers to the office. It’s all for show to make it look as if we are doing something about police curruption
If there are criminal investigations then a file is submitted to the DPP’s office for recommendations,so how is there any room for interference, usually the DPP’s office recommend prosecution and allow the courts to adjudicate when a member of the gardai is involved.
This is a cryptic message from GSOC to the public about an Garda Corruptchána. Thank you for putting us on alert, although I suspect many will not be surprised. It seems that our national police force needs to be dredged to remove the filth that has been festering all these years. Has anyone an update on the missing phones from the Maurice McCabe case?
Guards covering up for their own surely this has never & will never happen in cronyism ireland
I currently have a complaint lodged against the Garda with gsoc the investigating superintendent has so far not investigated nothing only believing the Garda with whom the complaint is lodged just because he a superintendent doesn’t mean he not corrupt
@James Wallace: GSOC have more statutory powers than Gardai actually.
@Jumanji: but yet the Gardai can and do refuse to cooperate with them?
@James Wallace: because GSOC was never intended to have any teeth, it was always supposed to be window dressing. It was introduced by Michael McDowell in 2004 as Justice minister in the teeth of opposition from Garda management and the representative bodies, and now we know why. Every Police force in the world except those in `Police states`, have some form of complaints/ombudsman procedure.
But An Garda Siochana do not see themselves as being accountable to anyone. Bizarrely the legislation allows GSOC to hand the complaints made against members back to the force to investigate themselves! it could only happen in Ireland.
Do these people not know of the maxim thou shall not be a judge of self thus they are breaking Common law
What’s new with the gardai the constitution is also a joke with them
Well in fairness, of course they can be accused of a cover up. If you want it reported to the ombudsman, then make it more than a recommendation.
That ending to Line of Duty was rubbish, so disappointing
@Patrick James Walsh: they hand it back when they deem it appropriate to be handled internally. A minor infraction not involving the public. GSOC have plenty of teeth more invasive than Garda powers. The problem is that you just expected more corruption than there is, so you lash out and call GSOC corrupt or toothless
have your say