Restoring public trust in our police force

It is time to redesign the architecture of Garda accountability, writes Mark Kelly

A short period of relative calm has followed weeks of tumultuous debate about the accountability of An Garda Síochána. It’s time to take a step back from the highly-politicised exchanges and ask some serious questions about the systemic failings that have been exposed.

The job of holding An Garda Síochána to account is shared by a number of entities, including the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC); (until recently) the confidential recipient; the minister for justice,& and the Garda commissioner.