Guerin report delivers a fatal blow

A keen tennis player, Alan Shatter had set up camp at the back of the political court for months backhanding a seeming endless number of crises — without, apparently, breaking much sweat.

So, Sean Guerin must have delivered one hell of a smash to force a winner and send the justice minister to the dressing room, dragging his racket behind him.

Mr Guerin has managed to do something that the successive controversies had failed to do.

And that list is long: nAllegations of garda wrongdoing from whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe and the linked resignation of confidential recipient Oliver Connolly;

- The alleged bugging of the Garda Ombudsman’s offices;

- The penalty points scandal;

- The secret Garda tapes;

- The shock resignation of garda commissioner Martin Callinan;

- And, earlier this week, Mr Shatter’s breach of data protection laws.

But the game changer has resulted from the first crisis: namely how Sgt McCabe’s allegations were investigated by an internal Garda inquiry and Mr Shatter’s role in the operation of the confidential recipient system — a system underpinned and protected by law.

Dropping the bombshell of Mr Shatter’s resignation, Taoiseach Enda Kenny yesterday told the Dáil: “I can advise the House that the [Sean Guerin] report is critical of the inadequacy of the actions taken by a number of the agencies, notably An Garda Síochána but also including the Department of Justice and Equality and the minister for justice in responding to the allegations made by Sgt Maurice McCabe.”

This is what Sgt McCabe and his advocates have been saying all along. Although we do not yet know whether or not the allegations are true, in all or in part, Mr Guerin’s 300-page report, published tomorrow, should give us more information. But we will most likely have to wait for the Commission of Investigation report for the full story.

Mr Kenny said Mr Shatter had resigned because of the finding of Mr Guerin that there had been an inadequate response by him under his statutory function for independent analysis of allegations.

In his statement, Mr Shatter expressed his “concerns and reservations” about the barrister’s report, particularly certain conclusions regarding his “approach” or “extent” of his concerns with regard to issues raised by Sgt McCabe.

The consequences for the gardaí will not become clearer until tomorrow, but they appear to be serious.

It comes at the time when the force is already reeling — both from the various crises and the resignation of Martin Callinan, seen by many as forced. And then there is the possibility that the Government will appoint a new police boss from outside the gardaí.

Annual conferences of the main Garda associations only recently heard how morale was “on the floor” and how ordinary gardaí were “sick to the teeth” of all the negative publicity.

One thing that may improve now is the relationship between the minister for justice and the gardaí, which has been badly broken. And a relationship that needs to improve is the public’s faith in both.

With clouds darkening, it will be a gruelling test of character for the new minister.