State urged to clamp down on gardai

JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell was yesterday urged to immediately introduce planned legislation for a Garda Inspectorate, while a garda body said the move would infringe on its rights.

The Garda Representative Association warned the inspectorate could not prejudice individual garda constitutional rights. Mr McDowell made it clear the new legislation - which will be published next Easter but may not become law until 2004 - will oblige gardaí to co-operate with the new supervisory authority.

“The new inspectorate, when it is established, will have clear powers to exact co-operation, and members of An Garda Síochána will have clear and enforceable duties to co-operate,” Mr McDowell said.