Jobstown rescue ‘a qualified success’
THE Garda rescue of then tánaiste Joan Burton and her assistant from a 2014 anti-water charges protest was a ‘qualified success’ but lacked strategic direction, a Garda report has found.
An internal review by An Garda Síochána has found there was no intelligence received prior to the event in Dublin’s Jobstown that suggested any protest was going to happen, and there is little evidence to suggest that any strategic assessment was undertaken.
The review found with the benefit of hindsight it is clear that the risk of a serious outburst or public disorder was likely to occur.
It recommended that the force should ensure that robust structures and processes are put in place to monitor levels of public order and identify potential risks and vulnerabilities.
It found that the fact that Ms Burton and her assistant were extricated from the protest without injury and that no protester reported any physical injuries show the policing response was a qualified success.
The review also notes that because of the outcomes of the court cases that followed, it is questionable how successful the investigation actually was.
The events at the centre of the report occurred on November 15, 2014, when Ms Burton attended a graduation ceremony for participants in a continuing education course which was taking place nearby.
She was placed in a Garda vehicle to leave but was surrounded by anti-water charge demonstrators.
A sit-down protest ensued and it was three hours before Ms Burton, along with adviser Karen O’Connell, could leave.
The matter came before the courts last year. While high-profile prosecutions followed, six protesters were acquitted after a lengthy trial. Other cases were discontinued.
Yesterday’s report makes a range of recommendations to ensure advance warning of likely disorder is picked up sooner by gardaí. It also recommends that gardaí be better trained for such incidents.
Solidarity TD Paul Murphy, one of the protesters found not guilty of false imprisonment after the protest, said he was disappointed with the findings.
He told RTÉ News that if Garda actions on the day of the protest had been ‘a qualified success’, then he had to wonder what a failure would look like.