Garda chief’s speech angers unionists

Unionist fury erupted today at the graduation ceremony for trainees to the North's new police service over a speech made by the Garda Commissioner.

The address by Commissioner Pat Byrne stunned unionist members of the North’s policing board who had fought to prevent him having such a role at the ceremony for the first 44 recruits to the reformed force.

Ian Paisley Jr, one of the hardline Democratic Unionists on the body claimed: ‘‘This event has been hijacked.

‘‘This is a deliberate and calculated insult to the unionist people in Northern Ireland.’’

Fred Cobain, an Ulster Unionist member of the board, pointed the finger at former Police Service of Northern Ireland chief constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan.

Mr Flanagan had earlier paid glowing tribute to Mr Byrne in a speech to those gathered for the graduation at Garnerville training base on the outskirts of east Belfast.

Mr Byrne had returned the compliment during an unscheduled speech.

But Mr Cobain insisted: ‘‘This was a deliberate snub by Ronnie Flanagan.

‘‘He knew how sensitive this whole thing was to unionists and I’m personally disappointed with him.

‘‘He created a role for Pat Byrne here today which he shouldn’t have had.’’

But Alex Attwood, one of the nationalist SDLP representatives on the Policing Board, insisted it was right for Mr Byrne to have a prominent role at the event.

He argued: ‘‘What was agreed was the proposal that the (former) chief constable or any other outside person to do the review of graduates would not happen.

‘‘That’s what was agreed and understood.

‘‘I’m quite comfortable and relaxed that the Garda Commissioner was here.’’