Gardaí among most secretive

THE Garda will continue to be one of the most secretive police forces in the world, as there is no access to basic information, a conference on policing and accountability was told yesterday.

Prof Dermot Walsh, director of the centre for criminal justice at the University of Limerick, said: “It is still the case that standing orders covering all aspects of Garda management and practices are not publicly accessible. The same applies to the existence and contents of Garda policies.

“For as long as such basic information is kept secret, transparent governance and accountability will remain elusive and the Garda will continue to be one of the most secretive police forces in the western world.