Garda review to focus on four key roles

A root-and-branch review of An Garda Síochána will examine four key areas with a view to beefing up powers of authorities supervising the force.

A panel of international experts to be appointed will be sought after Tánaiste and Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald consults with the opposition later this week.

However, the Irish Examiner understands the review, in the wake of the Garda fake alcohol breath tests and wrongful convictions scandal, will focus on the structure and functions of the force rather than faults of individuals.

Cabinet will today discuss the scope of the review, which comes amid continued calls for Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan to resign over the breath tests and driving convictions fiasco.

Government sources said last night that a review of four key areas would help underpin any new legislation.

These areas include structure and management arrangements, the recruitment and training of members, the culture and ethos of the Garda as well as the crucial issues of oversight and accountability.

An examination of these areas could be used to beef up existing legislation that covers the powers of supervising authorities such as the Garda Ombudsman, the Garda Inspectorate and the Policing Authority.

Opposition parties and TDs will be asked later this week to meet Ms Fitzgerald to hammer out terms for the review.

The review panel will not be led by a judge, sources said, but will include international experts.

Government figures expect the review will be similar in some respects to the Patten Commission in the North, which transformed policing there, and could have a year to do its work.

“It will look at the entire function of the force and whether it functions correctly rather than finding fault with individuals,” said a Government figure.

The review or commission is separate to two other inquiries into the 1m exaggerated alcohol breath tests and 15,000 wrongful road traffic convictions scandal involving fixed penalty notices.

These are being carried out by the Policing Authority and by gardaí themselves.

The Policing Authority yesterday confirmed it received a letter from the Tánaiste last Friday in relation to an examination of the breath tests and traffic convictions.

Options open to the authority include requesting the Garda Inspectorate to conduct the investigation or contract it out to an external agency. The authority might be involved itself.

Ms O’Sullivan told the Oireachtas Justice Committee last Thursday that an internal investigation she had ordered would co-operate with the independent investigation.

According to the Tánaiste, the commissioner said the internal probe — being conducted by Assistant Commissioner Michael O’Sullivan — should be in a position to report to the authority within three months.

The Policing Authority also received a large package of documents from Garda HQ at 6.30pm last Friday.

It issued a request to the gardaí last Monday week for copies of all reports, audits and examinations of the breath test and wrongful conviction scandals by Friday.

The authority is holding a public meeting with the commissioner and her team at the end of April, at a session devoted to roads policing.

Meanwhile, some Fianna Fáil TDs have openly called for Ms O’Sullivan to go. Finance committee chairman John McGuinness yesterday told RTÉ that trust in gardaí had been “shattered” all over the country and Ms O’Sullivan needed to be replaced.

“They [the Government] cannot ignore what needs to be done in the interest of the country.”

Foreign affairs spokesman Darragh O’Brien agreed and said: “We need a new approach and I don’t believe she is in a position to lead it.”

The Fianna Fáil frontbench will meet today and discuss the ongoing crisis.