Fianna Fáil motion will add to pressure on Nóirín O’Sullivan

Fianna Fáil are drafting a motion aiming to put further pressure on Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan who is facing calls to step aside.

The party are now scrambling to draw up the motion so it reaches the Dáil ahead of similar motions from Labour and Sinn Féin.

The motion will focus on the management structure of the gardaí and the party plan to bring it before the Dáil on Tuesday.

Fianna Fáil had been under intense pressure to come out and state whether they would be backing the two other opposition motions which were tabled in the wake of the garda scandal around breath testing and wrongful convictions.

While the Sinn Féin motion calls for Ms O’Sullivan’s resignation, the Labour motion focuses on a restructuring of the entire management of the force.

The Fianna Fáil motion was discussed at a meeting of the parliamentary party last night. It is understood that it will focus more on management rather than Nóirín O’Sullivan’s position but will put further pressure on her.

One party member stressed it would be “our own wording” and would look at “achieving some accountability”.

It is expected that the motion will come before the Dáil on Tuesday during time the party had intended to use for a Private Members’ Motion on mental health but which will now be held off.

The news emerged as Labour confirmed party leader Brendan Howlin held “initial discussions” with Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin over potentially merging no confidence motions in garda management.

A Labour spokesperson said last night the two leaders have talked about the prospect informally but that Mr Howlin is “still waiting for a follow-up”.

While Labour’s next formal opportunity to put down its motion is after Easter, it is considering raising it as part of an amendment to Sinn Féin’s no confidence motion on Wednesday.

Although a decision by Fianna Fáil to table its own motion next Tuesday would limit the effect of the Sinn Féin motion, the party’s justice spokesperson Jonathan O’Brien has confirmed it will still be tabled regardless of what Fianna Fáil do.

Meanwhile, Mr Howlin and Mr O’Brien were among a number of opposition party members who met with Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald over what they want included in the root and branch garda review.

Opposition parties stressed they do not want the year-long review to delay increasing Policing Authority powers and insisted any reforms must be implemented in full.

However, while Ms Fitzgerald is open to the Policing Authority move and plans to publish the review’s terms of reference next week, Taoiseach Enda Kenny yesterday told the Dáil today’s Fennelly report publication could delay the review itself.

Meanwhile Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe reiterated that the Government believes the commissioner is “the person best placed to continue to implement the modernisation agenda in An Garda Síochána”.