ICCL concerned by Garda Ombudsman’s 'leaseback' proposals

The Irish Council of Civil Liberties (ICCL) has today expressed its concern following the publication of the Garda Ombudsman Commission's report.

In its Two Year Report, the Commission proposed 10 legislative changes to the Garda Síochána Act 2005.

The ICCL has said that the 10th proposed change – to amend section 94 of the Act to allow for the “leaseback” of cases involving criminal investigations – is of serious concern.

Speaking shortly after the release of the Ombudsman Commission’s report, ICCL director Mr Mark Kelly said: “No allegation that a member of An Garda may have committed a criminal offence is a minor matter. Indeed, a sequence of complaints regarding very minor criminality by a particular Garda member may indicate a major problem.”

“If there is a real danger that the Ombudsman Commission could become 'snowed under' by the sheer volume of complaints regarding Garda criminality, the appropriate response is for the Commission to be given the additional resources that it needs to discharge its statutory functions.

“Any suggestion that complaints regarding Garda criminality could be 'leased back' to the Garda themselves for investigation will only serve to undermine the high level of public confidence that the Ombudsman Commission currently enjoys.”