Findings restore faith in gardaí

IT is good that the air has finally been cleared on

According to Justice Minister Michael McDowell, the Nally Report found there was no foundation for such allegations. Nevertheless, the lingering suspicions of garda inaction have blackened the force and the public will be relieved to learn such claims were baseless.

Because the document contains sensitive intelligence about the activities of the Real IRA, the minister has decided its contents should not be published.

If, as he says, the information would only be of use to terrorists then it would indeed be irresponsible to put it into the public domain.

Yet, reading between the lines, there is considerable room for improvement in garda intelligence gathering and their contacts with police in the North.

No doubt, relatives of the 29 victims of the bombing will be disappointed the report is being kept under wraps. Following a disastrous first meeting with them, the minister should now honour his pledge to meet the relatives again.