Gardaí to be overhauled

THE garda inspectorate will not have the same powers, resources or staffing levels as the Northern Ireland Ombudsman, Justice Minister Michael McDowell said yesterday.

Announcing initial details of the biggest overhaul of An Garda Síochána since 1925, Mr McDowell said the exact powers of the body were still being debated. But he stressed: “It is clear to me, however, this inspectorate will require, in certain circumstances, powers of detention, search, seizure and entry into premises.”

The Scheme of the Garda Síochána Bill, to be finalised later this year, proposes the inspectorate could be refused access to documents by the garda commissioner, with the agreement of the Minister for Justice. Circumstances where this could happen include: