New Garda Commissioner calls Callinan’s use of word disgusting ‘unfortunate’

Interim Garda Commissioner Noirín O’Sullivan has described as unfortunate the use of the word “disgusting” by her predecessor to describe garda whistleblowers.

Confirming she will be applying for the top post, Commissioner O’Sullivan strongly advised colleagues that “dissent should not be seen as disloyalty” within An Garda Síochána.

The force, she said, needs to demonstrate “a stronger commitment to openness and transparency, strengthen our governance structures, and further improve accountability”.

In a letter to gardaí released yesterday at the Garda College in Templemore, she also wished former commissioner Martin Callinan well in his retirement and said he had proudly served the force “with distinction” for more than 40 years.

However, asked if she supported his use of the word “disgusting” to describe the actions of garda whistleblowers, Commissioner O’Sullivan said: “I think it was unfortunate, the use of the word ‘disgusting’. I think that in any organisation as large and as complex as An Garda Síochána, there will be people within the organisation who will identify issues that they wish to bring to our attention.

“I certainly believe those people need to be supported and we need to have mechanisms in place to ensure they can bring those forward. Indeed they may not always be fully right but, nevertheless, there may be issues which will help us to continue to improve.”

Pressed further about the remark, she said: “I think that the former commissioner had a personal opinion in relation to the matter and I think he is entitled to his opinion.”

Commissioner O’Sullivan said that, because of recent events, it has been “a very difficult few months” for the force, but the focus was now on working with various commissions of investigation to get to the bottom of events.

On the controversy surrounding the recording of telephone calls to and from Garda stations and speculation gardaí attempted to destroy some of the tapes, she said: “The commission of investigation has been established so while I would like to be in a position to give you more detail in relation to that, I don’t want in any way to infringe on the commission of investigation that has been established.

“I’m very constrained in what I can say to you because of the commission of investigation but I think that in the fullness of time, that will be explained fully.”

Commissioner O’Sullivan promised to listen to whistleblowers and any issues highlighted by them: “We’re going to listen to every single member of An Garda Síochána and indeed people outside of An Garda Síochána and to engage with them in a very different way.”

Asked if she intended to apply for the job of commissioner permanently, she said: “The competition hasn’t been advertised yet but I’m sure that when it is then I certainly will.”