Justice minister should proceed with caution as shine fades on bright new era

In May, the justice minister stood in the Dáil and said the new system of reporting wrongdoing in the force was going well. Keith Harrison begged to differ. Yet his disclosures to the minister were not acted on, writes Michael Clifford

KEITH Harrison was taken aback when he read what Frances Fitzgerald had said in the Dáil. The justice minister was speaking on the publication of the O’Higgins report into Garda malpractice last May.

She told the chamber the new system of reporting wrongdoing in the force was going fine. “I have discussed this subject on a number of occasions with Garda management and it is operating fully in line with legislation,” she said.