Gardaí who lie must be held to account

FOR the Acting Garda Commissioner to send a message that when it comes to members of the force who lie, either individually or collectively, there is no sanction whatsoever, is both extraordinary in itself and deeply disturbing.

Yet that is effectively what Dónall Ó Cualáin said yesterday when he announced that those responsible for almost two million false breath tests will not face any disciplinary action. They are off the hook, in other words. All those gardaí who thought it was perfectly acceptable to inflate the figures to such an astonishing degree, and who undoubtedly colluded with colleagues in this deception, are home free.

While acknowledging ‘the understandable desire for actions to ensure individual accountability’, Mr Ó Cualáin then countered this by stating that such desire must be balanced in a way so as to ensure the continuance of policing.

Since when did such practical matters present an acceptable barrier to investigating wrongdoing? Since when did this become an adequate reason for abandoning any legitimate investigation?

This lame excuse is precisely that, and it is utterly unacceptable.

What we need from An Garda Síochána is a force that is committed to exposing wrongdoers and making them accountable. Whether that is in society at large or within their own ranks should make no difference whatsoever. But what this message indicates instead is something extremely damaging – it says that there is one law for gardaí, and another one for the rest of us. And it illustrates only too clearly that gardaí are still able, by virtue of their position, to lie with impunity.

As for the notion that the Policing Authority does not want ‘public floggings’ over this matter, this is patently a quite ridiculous thing to say. The Policing Authority is meant to hold to account all those who come under its jurisdiction.

So the Policing Authority must now consider the situation and insist that the decision of An Garda Síochána be reversed. If this does not happen, not only will the reputation of the force be irreparably tarnished, but public confidence in the new policing watchdog will be shattered as well. What we will have then will be yet another public watchdog that doesn’t actually bark.