Garda bodies must commit to reforms - Scandals destroying credibility
The culture of dishonesty and slapdash unearthed, though long suspected, means that will not change anytime soon. Gardaí will always have someone looking over their shoulder and, hopefully, intervening if necessary. The expectations of a modern democracy are at last being demanded — in theory at least — of an agency that has made resistance to change a defining characteristic.
The number of investigations into the force underway may be reassuring in terms of transparency — if they are unhindered — but they show that something has gone badly wrong. Since Enda Kenny was elected Taoiseach just over six years ago six inquiries have been established. The most recent evolved into a tribunal of inquiry, which has begun its work under Mr Justice Peter Charleton. Serious issues were raised at that tribunal yesterday by lawyers representing garda whistleblowers. They expressed “deep concern” that the same legal team is scheduled to represent Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan and former commissioner Martin Callinan.
