Tribunal proved need for Garda reforms
To date, five reports have been made public, while up to another five reports are expected next spring.
But in 2005, by the time some of the most important findings of the tTribunal had been made public in report two, the then minister for justice Michael McDowell announced the most far-reaching reforms of the gardaí ever to take place.
Among the main evidence which the Morris Tribunal was asked to examine was the “discovery” of fake explosives finds in Donegal in 1993 and 1994. The other main issue was the death of Richard Barron, and the subsequent Garda investigation.
The tribunal went on to uncover shocking evidence of Garda malpractice and corruption in both cases.
The investigation revealed that, in certain parts of the country, the gardaí appeared to be acting as a law unto themselves, often riding roughshod over evidence and carrying out personal vendettas against members of the public.
Many senior Garda members, at the time, attempted to portray the malpractice as a result of a “few bad apples”. However, by 2005, when the former justice minister announced the Garda reforms, it was clear that the problem was institutional with root-and-branch reform badly needed.
The Morris Tribunal investigation into the fake explosives finds in Donegal, centred around the activities of two Garda members in particular, Superintendent Kevin Lennon and Detective Noel McMahon.
Between them, the pair reportedly faked a string of explosive finds which they then took credit for “uncovering”.
The duo said the explosives had belonged to the IRA and, at the time, were praised for their “vigilance and good detective work”.
But, in fact, they had allegedly planted the weaponry in order to boost their own careers and ensure promotion.
The Morris Tribunal not only found that they had been involved in this activity, but that an innocent man had been implicated as an IRA informer because of it.
The tribunal also found that Chief Superintendent Denis Fitzpatrick was “gravely” at fault for failing to properly investigate the activities of Kevin Lennon and Noel McMahon.
A picture was emerging of a force which, in some areas, was either corrupt or incompetent, or both.
Arising out of the tribunal’s inquiries came a number of recommendations which included Garda HQ taking a more pro-active approach, and the need for senior officers to keep daily journals of their activities.
If the Morris Tribunal’s investigation into Lennon and McMahon was shocking, worse was to come.
At about 12.20am on October 14, 1996, the body of cattle dealer Richie Barron was found lying on a road outside the town of Raphoe.
About an hour later, gardaí arrived at the scene which they did not preserve and when asked to pick up Barron’s clothes from the hospital, they instead got a porter to do it. Shortly afterwards, false information reached gardaí that Barron had been murdered.
What followed was one of the most vindictive episodes in Irish policing. The gardaí pursued two men, Mark McConnell and Frank McBrearty Jr, who they falsely accuse of committing the murder.
Over the course of the following months, Garda John O’Dowd— who was initially told that Barron was murdered by local man Willie Doherty— reportedly assisted an orchestrated campaign of intimidation aimed at framing McConnell and McBrearty.
On at least one occasion, Garda O’Dowd rang another local man, Michael Peoples, who he tried to blackmail. The officer told Peoples he was seen at the scene of the “murder” and he should pay £1,000 to avoid being implicated.
About two months after Barron’s body was found by the roadside, Robert McBride — who had been arrested for stealing a TV aerial — apparently told gardaí that, on the night Barron died, he saw McConnell and McBrearty walking through fields close to where Barron was found.
Within days, McConnell, McBrearty and Peoples were arrested and a “confession” was apparently extracted from McBrearty.
Shortly afterwards, graffiti appeared in Raphoe, denouncing the three.
It later emerged that the graffiti had been written by Doherty.
It wasn’t until Barron’s body was exhumed in 2001 that the corruption of some of the gardaí in Donegal was uncovered.
The state pathologist stated that it was “highly unlikely” Barron died as a result of a violent attack and, instead, concluded that death was due to severe contact with the road caused as a result of a collision with a motor vehicle.
Largely, as a result of this verdict and indeed the continued strong denials from the three accused, the Morris Tribunal was established.
In June 2005, the second Morris report was published.
It concluded that senior gardaí were negligent and corruption within the lower ranks, combined with a complete lack of objectivity, characterised the inquiry into Barron’s death.
