Tribunal report officers 'transferred to desk duties'

Five Donegal gardaí transferred to Dublin after they were criticised in the Morris Tribunal report won't be put back on the beat, it was claimed tonight.

But Justice Minster Michael McDowell said tonight he believed the gardaí will be assigned to desk duties – and could still face disciplinary action or criminal prosecution.

Opposition TDs had attacked the transfer of the officers to Garda HQ and city stations and insisted the men should have been suspended.

But Mr McDowell said: “I understand from the Garda Commissioner that the people involved will be given positions which will not involve their interaction with members of the public.

“The deployment of gardaí is a matter for the Garda Commissioner.

“Nobody should infer from the fact that people are transferred to Dublin that they are in some way being immunised from either disciplinary procedures under the Garda Siochana code or potential criminal prosecution.”

The five men are Thomas Rattigan of Buncrana, James McDwyer of Ballybofey, Patrick McDermott of Lifford and Martin Anderson and Martin Leonard of Letterkenny.

Justice Frederick Morris' report described Garda Leonard as “consistently deceitful” in relation to every matter of importance.

Two of the five will serve at Garda Headquarters in the Phoenix Park while the remaining three will be assigned to stations in the Dublin Metropolitan area.

Two senior garda officers criticised in the second Morris report – Det Supt John McGinley and Supt Joe Shelley – are due to report on full pension on July 31.

The Morris report found that the investigation into the death of cattle-dealer Richie Barron was “prejudiced, tendentious and utterly negligent in the highest degree”.