Whistleblower crisis: Kenny and Coalition are damaged

Even if Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan does withdraw, as widely expected, his scandalous description of two garda whistleblowers as “disgusting”, it will be too late to salvage the Government’s inept handling of this long-running crisis.

There is no denying that Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s reputation as a strong political leader has been seriously damaged by a controversy which dragged on interminably because he refused to listen. Instead of heeding warnings about abuse of the penalty points system by members of the force, he blindly followed the arguments of Justice Minister Alan Shatter and Mr Callinan, whose combined assurances that all was well are now discredited. Having painted himself into a corner, the Taoiseach’s desperate bid to keep an issue of such public interest under wraps was the latest in a string of political blunders. And having been badly advised, Mr Kenny is out of touch with public opinion.

There is an urgent need to restore confidence in a Garda force undermined by the continuous drip-drip of damaging information. Regrettably, the Government was profoundly deaf to persistent claims by the whistleblowers who were vindicated by a damning Garda Inspectorate report which exposed even more widespread abuse and breaches of the system than Sergeant Maurice McCabe and retired garda John Wilson ever suspected. Instead of getting the hearing they deserved, the courageous gardaí were traduced, their reputations systematically undermined, their careers and health ruined, and then their actions were described as “disgusting” by Mr Callinan. No doubt, the Government will now draw another line in the sand, hoping against hope his anticipated statement will put this issue to bed once and for all.