Only an open, transparent system will supervise gardaí properly

DO the gardaí need a watchdog? Of course they do — in their interests and in ours.

More or less since the foundation of the state, the gardaí have effectively regulated themselves. In principle, that is a corrupting state of affairs. In fact, we're lucky to have as many good policemen as we do.

But it goes far beyond regulation. The management of the Garda Siochána is as unaccountable as the force itself. Apart from the fact that investigation of complaints is well-nigh impossible, nobody from the Taoiseach down is ever allowed to go further inside the policies and operations of the gardaí than they are prepared to admit.