Garda failure ‘may have led to a murder’

The Dáil was rocked with accusations that Garda incompetence may have led to a murder and violent assaults being carried out.

The Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin claimed the Government’s treatment of whistleblower Maurice McCabe on the penalty points issue was scandalous but said there were further issues that would “make one’s hair stand on end”.

“There are shocking revelations of incompetence which ultimately led to people being murdered as a result of a failure to act. It is very serious stuff which the Department of Justice and Equality has had for quite a long time but not acted on,” he told the Taoiseach during Leaders Questions.

Mr Martin called on the Justice Minister Alan Shatter to withdraw the “blatant untruth” that Garda McCabe had not co-operated with the Assistant Garda Commissioner O’Mahony’s penalty points inquiry, reminding Mr Kenny that despite making himself available, Mr McCabe had not even been interviewed.

“A lot of negative innuendo was spread about this man... What happened was fundamentally wrong. What Garda whistleblower in his or her right mind would ever go near the system again, given the treatment that has been meted out to this man,” asked Mr Martin.

The Taoiseach said he did not have the opportunity to listen to the audio tape between the Garda Confidential Recipient Oliver Connolly and Maurice McCabe, but he did receive a report from the secretary general of the Department of Justice and Equality who had contacted the confidential recipient in regard to the veracity of the transcript published in the newspapers.

He then surprised TDs in the chamber when he said it was a very serious matter and Mr Shatter “has this morning relieved Mr Connolly of his duties”.

It prompted Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald to call on Mr Kenny to relieve embattled Justice Minister Alan shatter of his duties.

The Dublin Central TD claimed damage had been done to accountability and whistleblowing within the gardaí “and the chief author of the damage is none other than the Minister for Justice and Equality”.

She said there was “much public bewilderment” about why Fine Gael and Labour stood by Mr Shatter and his “half-baked review” into the GSOC bugging controversy.

“It would be a comedy if the issues weren’t so serious”, she said.

Mr Kenny said Mr Shatter was being aided in drawing up the terms of reference by the Attorney General.

Deputy McDonald again called for a public inquiry which the Taoiseach responded to by saying it was “ironic” that Sinn Féin was talking about expertise in communications and surveillance.

“Of course, that is what she wants, as she always wants public inquiries”, Mr Kenny replied.