Garda morale ‘shattered by Morris revelations’

GARDA morale has been shattered by the interim Morris Report into allegations of misconduct in the Donegal division, a garda association has said.

The Garda Representative Association (GRA) called for the establishment of a forum on policing to discuss the future of the force.

“The report from the Honourable Mr Justice Frederick Morris and the first module of the tribunal of inquiry into allegations of misconduct in Donegal has been shattering for garda morale,” said the editorial in the Garda Review, the journal of the GRA.

The interim Morris Report, published last month, found two gardaí had orchestrated ammunitions and explosive finds and four of their superiors were negligent in their duties.

It said there was a lack of supervision by Garda HQ and An Garda Síochána was losing its character as a disciplined force and this would lead to disaster.

The report said there was no evidence to suggest the GRA had encouraged members to account fully for their actions. The editorial said the findings of the report were a “blessing” for detractors of the force.

“It is most regrettable that the issues in Donegal were not dealt with more swiftly, and more ruthlessly, by senior management in the division at the time.

“While not diminishing the grave findings of the circumstances surrounding those events in 1993 - it must be remembered that there is no evidence to suggest that such a situation exists today,” said the report.

The editorial said a body must be set up to identify the type of policing required to deal with the everyday issues of the force.

“The stakeholders of the organisation itself could also have their say on how they view themselves and the problems they face daily.”

Writing in the Review, GRA delegate for Donegal Gda Michael O’Boyce said he experienced “anger, sadness, despair and relief” on reading the report.

“The sense of anger and sadness is due to the breach of trust shown by a few gardaí in their responsibility and duty to the people of Ireland - and to their colleagues.

“I despair at the continued failure of those in positions of power in An Garda Síochána. In effect, they were content with the illusion rather than troubling themselves to look for the reality.”

Gda O’Boyce backed calls for a policing forum, which would draw up a blueprint for reforming the force.