Top garda: Threat to our democracy still exists

THE threat to Ireland’s democracy has ‘not fully dissipated’, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said yesterday.

He described the work undertaken by gardaí to counteract the ‘very real and sustained threats’ to the country’s national security as the ‘greatest achievement’ of An Garda Síochána in the past century.

Mr Harris was speaking at an event yesterday to mark the anniversary of the transfer of policing duties from British rule 100 years ago this month.

About 450 officers retraced the steps the first Garda Commissioner Micheal Staines took, along with Ireland’s newly formed Civil Guard, as they marched into Dublin Castle, the HQ of British rule, for the handover on August 17, 1922.

The parade began at the Gresham Hotel in O’Connell Street, where the committee formed by Michael Collins met in February 1922 to establish a new police service for the State.

Mr Harris told the crowd the force has responded to ‘difficult periods’ in Ireland’s past.

‘Many of us here will remember there was a time, not so long ago in fact, when our democracy was under direct threat,’ he said.

‘An Garda Síochána was at the forefront of protecting our democracy during those dark days. This threat has not fully dissipated and, of course, there are also now further threats to State security from outside this island. But remarkable work has been done to counter very real and sustained threats to our national security from a range of actors.’

He also paid tribute to the 89 gardaí who have died on duty, adding their ‘ultimate sacrifice remains with us always’.