Garda shake-up tackles corruption

Sweeping reforms of covert handling of garda informers are to be introduced in a bid to root out fake agents, it emerged today.

In a radical move to address the corruption and negligence in An Garda Siochána uncovered by the Morris Tribunal, would-be agents will be subjected to extensive vetting.

The measures, proposed by a working group headed by Deputy Commissioner TP Fitzgerald, were designed to ensure informers’ safety, smoother handling operations and better understanding of the value, or lack of value, of covert information.

In a submission to the garda corruption inquiry, chaired by Mr Justice Frederick Morris, the informant management working group recommended:

:: Detailed source handling units to be created dedicated to running informers.

:: A compulsory and rigid system of registration of informers by every officer along with a full and detailed assessment of the proposed agent.

:: A full and detailed background and risk assessment, and if needed a face-to-face interview with the would-be informer.

:: A separate and complete file containing all records and dealings with informers to be kept by the Crime and Security Unit in Phoenix Park.

:: A superior officer to keep a high level of supervision on dealings and relationship of officers with the informer.

The recommendations were made to the Tribunal following a string of alarming findings of how gardaí in Donegal dealt with informers during the early 1990s.

In his report Judge Morris revealed there was no official garda manual governing the handling of informers in the force.

A total of 17 recommendations were made by Judge Morris on the running of agents. The working group proposals have so far met 11 of the 17 proposals.

Policing experts from Canada, Australia, UK, Germany and Europol were approached in a bid to draw up a best practice model.

The final report of the working group was sent to Commissioner Conroy at the end of April.