GRA defers reply to report findings

Cormac O’Keeffe

It's understood that the Garda Representative Association (GRA) will hold a press conference in the coming days.

The GRA refused to comment yesterday, with an official spokesman saying they were still analysing the 690-page report.

But several sources in the association said that they were waiting to see what was going to happen to the senior gardaí named in the second Morris Report.

Among the senior officers named and still serving are Superintendent Joe Shelly, based in Mullingar and Detective Superintendent John McGinley, based in Galway.

"The rank and file are tired of getting a kicking. We're waiting to see what Commissioner Conroy is going to do in relation to individual senior gardaí. If there is no movement within 24 hours we will definitely respond," said one source.

It's understood the GRA will accept criticism scathing in the report of the refusal of two rank-and-file officers to account for their movements on the night cattle dealer Richard Barron was found dead in Raphoe, Co Donegal, on October 14, 1996.

The report heavily criticised Garda John O'Dowd and Garda Padraig Mulligan for refusing to talk to internal garda investigators about that night.

One GRA source said: "The officers should have accounted for where they were, but they were given bad advice at the time."

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) did respond officially yesterday, describing the findings of the Morris Report "as an absolutely black day for the force".

AGSI general secretary Pat Flynn said, while there were serious criticism of individual gardaí in the report, tributes were paid to other members, including two AGSI members Sergeant Hugh Smith and Sgt Sylvester Henry.

Mr Flynn said there was a need for forensically trained gardaí to deal with fatal traffic accidents, ongoing training for detectives and training to deal with informers.