Oireachtas committee to review Garda oversight

Sacked Confidential Recipient Oliver Connolly, the Garda Commissioner, the Garda Ombudsman, and former Northern Ireland police ombudsman Nuala O’Loan, are being invited to make submissions to a special Oireachtas committee review on Garda oversight.

The Oireachtas Justice committee is also inviting Mr Connolly to attend a separate hearing to discuss issues surrounding the transcript of his private conversation with Garda whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe and his dealings with Minister Alan Shatter.

The latter meeting would take place after a review by criminal barrister Sean Guerin SC into the GSOC bugging affair is complete.

The committee met yesterday to agree a format for their review of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, which lays down the basis for police oversight, including the operation of GSOC. The committee yesterday invited written submissions from the public regarding “the effectiveness of the legislation related to oversight of An Garda Síochána”.

Fianna Fáil justice spokesman Niall Collins, a member of the committee, said they had agreed to invite the following groups and individuals to make a submission: GSOC, Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan, former Northern Ireland police ombudsman Nuala O’Loan, the four garda staff associations and the Independent Police Complaints Commission for England and Wales.

Also invited to submit are Advocates of Victims for Homicide and other victim groups, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and journalists Mick Clifford, John Mooney and Vincent Browne

l Written submissions can be sent by email to [e-mail] and before 3pm on Friday, April 4.