Gardaí show bias in policing pubs: Maloney

A former Labour Party Senator today claimed gardai in Donegal policed under a biased political agenda.

Sean Maloney, who quit politics in 2004 after 13 years as a local representative, said the force in the county had been closely linked to Fianna Fáil.

The retired councillor said officers in Letterkenny took no action over lock-ins and other licensing breaches in pubs owned or run by party supporters or members.

He made the sensational claim at the Morris Tribunal as it probes allegations of garda harassment against the McBrearty family from Raphoe and their busy family pub.

Mr Maloney, who was both a town and county councillor from the early 1990s, claimed several bars in Letterkenny served after hours and gardai knew.

“I always felt that there was a close connection between unfortunately the gardaí and the Fianna Fáil party in Letterkenny,” he said.

“They were never too sore at them because if we raised too many issues in relation to them at council meetings we were told that we were giving the town a bad name, so let’s not go too deeply into that type of situation.”

While serving as a Senator from 1993-97 Mr McBrearty Senior asked him to make representations on his behalf to Minister for Justice Nora Owens.

The Raphoe publican claimed he faced week after week of garda harassment in early 1997 and dozens of cases of licensing breaches were brought against his night-spot Frankie’s of Raphoe.

Mr Maloney said gardaí gave more leeway to pubs if they believed they were well run and orderly and also those with Fianna Fáil links.

Mr McBrearty claims he was systematically targeted by gardaí.

Mr Maloney wrote to the minister and also raised policing matters in Donegal in the Seanad.

The previous year Frankie’s club ran a drinks promotion night every Friday with young revellers charged £1 entry and all drinks were £1.

Local gardai said it led to teenagers falling from the club drunk, throwing up, urinating and fighting in mobs.

But Mr Maloney said it was a similar scene in Letterkenny every weekend.

“Why is Frank McBrearty different than anybody else?” he asked.

The former Labour Senator and retired psychiatric nurse also praised Mr McBrearty for his anti-drugs stance and attitude to people suffering alcoholism.

“Mr McBrearty was one of the best in the county in relation to anti-drugs,” he said.

“I know also that Mr McBrearty was very helpful to the anti-drug communities that were formed in the county by actually supporting them financially and supporting people to talk at conferences.”

He also said he knew Mr McBrearty often visited people in psychiatric units who were trying to recover from alcoholism.

Mr Maloney said there was a different culture in Donegal regarding drink than elsewhere in the country. He said attitudes were more relaxed with many pubs serving after hours, but added: “We all went along with it”.