Charlie Flanagan wants ‘all the skeletons’ out of Garda closet

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has said he wants “all the skeletons” out of the Garda cupboards.

Speaking at the passing out ceremony at the Garda Templemore College, Mr Flanagan said the pace of reform was too slow and expressed disappointment at a recent report of the Policing Authority which found that less than a fifth of reforms marked as completed by Garda HQ were in fact implemented on inspection.

The minister also said he was “disappointed” at the claims made by the GRA last week that while members had “elevated” breath test figures they did not “falsify” them — and that the elevation was due to management pressure.

“I want all the skeletons out of all the cupboards,” he said, as he attended his first Garda graduation ceremony.

He said “we need to accelerate” the pace of Garda reform already under way if the promised “world-class police service” was to be created. He wanted it to implement the more than 200 Garda Inspectorate recommendations.

“I want those dealt with in a clearly defined time- frame,” he said. “I want no delay; we need these reforms at the earliest opportunity. I want a number of reforms in place by the end of the year and I want the Policing Authority and An Garda Síochána to work closely together to ensure there no more delays.

“If there are obstacles then I want them cleared. There’s a timeframe for in excess of 20 further reforms by the end of the year and more into the first quarter of next year.”

Mr Flanagan said he believed gardaí were ready for change.

“I talk to gardaí of every rank in the Garda service and I’m satisfied that there is an appetite; a very positive attitude at every level to embrace the reform programme,” he said.

In relation to the Policing Authority report, he said: “I regret the fact that in some areas the process has been slow, the results have been perhaps less than what would have been anticipated for the end of 2017. But I’m satisfied that many of the now outstanding recommendations will be implemented in full.”

He said he was in close communication with Josephine Feehily whose Policing Authority was monitoring the implementation of the Garda Inspectorate’s recommendations.

Mr Flanagan said that while the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland was due to submit its report to Cabinet next September, other “more immediate reports” could be given if the commission wanted to.

In relation to the Brexit talks, he said he was “particularly concerned” at the security situation across the island of Ireland and how the greatest terror threat came from dissident republicans.

He is due to meet British Home Secretary Amber Rudd and will raise the issue.