McDowell in pledge over Morris reports

Minister for Justice Michael McDowell today vowed to publish the latest garda corruption findings from the Morris Tribunal as soon as he gets the go-ahead from the High Court.

Mr McDowell received reports on three modules from Mr Justice Frederick Morris a week ago and had a statutory duty to publish them within 14 days.

However Justice Department officials feared the findings could prejudice current criminal proceedings against a garda and sought directions from the High Court on Monday week to delay publication.

Mr Justice Joseph Finnegan presided over an in-camera hearing on Monday and Tuesday.

But Mr McDowell confirmed today that it was his public duty to publish the findings as soon as the High Court gives him permission.

“As soon as the High Court agrees to publication, either partially or wholly, or as soon as the issue of the prejudice of a criminal trial is disposed of, I will not only publish the reports, but I will have a strong duty to publish them,” he said today.

The latest reports relates to allegations that gardai tried to frame a group of Travellers, planted an explosive device and a gun and concocted a death threat.

Justice Department officials were concerned that the findings may prejudice the case of suspended Detective Sergeant John White who is facing a charge of illegal possession of a firearm which the tribunal probed during the Burnfoot Module.

Evidence regarding that incident was also heard in private at the tribunal.

The tribunal also investigated the arrest of seven Travellers after the apparent discovery of a sawn-off shotgun at a halting site in Burnfoot village.

Detective Sergeant White’s lawyers argued at the inquiry that revealing details of the Burnfoot episode to the public ahead of a possible trial in Donegal would be prejudicial.

But it is understood Justice Department officials are also concerned that publishing findings from the Silver Bullet Module and the Ardara Module may also affect the outcome of the suspended officer’s trial.

The Silver Bullet Module focused on claims that gardai arranged for Sligo petty thief Bernard Conlon to make up a death threat against him and a detective sergeant.

It also probed allegations that Mr Conlon was planted in Frank McBrearty’s pub in Raphoe after hours to use him as a prosecution witness in an after-hours licensing case.

The Ardara Module investigated claims that gardai planted a bomb or explosive device on the telecommunications mast on the outskirts of the town in order to arrest three locals who had been protesting at the site.

The Morris Tribunal has now sat for more than 450 days since it was set up in 2002, and has completed seven of its 10 reports.

Its recommendations have inspired the Garda Act 2005, the biggest overhaul of policing since the force was founded in 1922.