O’Sullivan brings ‘different approach’ to commissioner role

Senior gardaí from across the country have spoken openly at a “crisis summit” held yesterday by Noirín O’Sullivan, the acting commissioner.

O’Sullivan brings ‘different approach’ to commissioner role

A number of sources told the Irish Examiner that Ms O’Sullivan sought views from her managers as the force continued to battle a succession of crises and controversies in the force.

“There was an acknowledgement that there is a crisis at the moment in relation to the tapes and the resignation of the commissioner,” said one senior source.

One of the 150-plus officers in attendance at the summit at the Garda Training College in Templemore, Co Tipperary, described Ms O’Sullivan’s management style as open.

“She didn’t speak for three hours,” said one source. “She said her piece and threw it open to the floor. She said nothing was off the agenda and people should say what they wanted.”

He added: “It’s a slightly different approach to before, but probably was needed. There’s a recognition that governance needs to be brought into the 21st century.”

The acting commissioner told officers — from superintendent rank up — that there was a lot of work ongoing in relation to investigations into the tapes and that they had to let the commission of investigation do its work.

There were some indications yesterday that the bulk of stations only recorded emergency calls or hoax calls coming into control rooms at stations.

One source said there might be 10 to 11 Garda stations where other lines, such as those in incident rooms — which take calls regarding investigations into specific crimes — might also have been taped.

Another source said officers were hit by the way Martin Callinan departed as commissioner: “To see people like him being treated like that has had an effect on morale.”

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