Govt to reveal plans for independent Garda Complaints Board

The Government is expected to announce plans to establish an independent Garda Complaints Board this week.

The board is envisaged to have a staff of 80 people and a budget of £5m annually.

The Department of Justice also plans to appoint non-garda investigators to probe complaints against the Gardai, a move that will undoubtedly be opposed by garda representative organisations.

In a 1994 report, a human rights organisation called the Committee for the Prevention of Torture criticised the current system for dealing with complaints against Gardai.

This system involves officers investigating complaints against fellow officers. The CPT recommended that this practice should stop, but when the committee returned to Ireland in 1998 nothing had changed.

Since then, the Gardai have come in for severe criticism over corruption allegations in the Donegal division, the treatment of heroin addict Dean Lyons and the shooting dead of John Carthy at his home in Abbeylara, Co Longford last year.

Justice Minister John O'Donoghue presented his draft proposals for overhauling the system to the cabinet 10 days ago.

Under these proposals, complaints against officers will be referred to the Garda Commissioner, who will decide whether to begin disciplinary proceedings.

The new independent complaints body will also have the option to refer files to the DPP.

The independent body will have the power to access official Garda documents and to summon witnesses to give evidence.

Given the current Garda opposition to officers being questioned by the Oireachtas committee investigating the Abbeylara affair, this new move is likely to face severe opposition.