Healy-Rae concerned about ‘leaks’
COUNCILLOR Jackie Healy-Rae, who recently received an assault conviction, raised concerns about alleged ‘ leaks’ from the gardaí to the media with Garda Commissioner Drew Harris.
The Kilgarvan councillor – the son of TD Michael Healy-Rae – was found guilty late last year of assault causing harm, following a high-profile trial.
He received an eight-month suspended sentence for his part in a St Stephen’s Night fracas in 2017.
Two co-accused – including his brother, Kevin Healy-Rae – were also found guilty. All three are appealing the conviction and sentence.
Cllr Healy-Rae said he had concerns about the alleged “leaking of information for different cases”.
“If you arrange to meet a garda by appointment to be interviewed, then how, the next day, is it on the front page of a national newspaper?” he queried.
“How, at each turn of the investigation, the media can ring and ask gardaí and ask when a person is in court even if the person themselves does not know.”
Cllr Healy Rae said the alleged leaks may not be coming from the Kerry Divison but could come from any division.
When he was challenged by Fianna Fail councillor Michael Cahill, Cllr Healy-Rae claimed he wasn’t speaking about his own case.
“This is a conflict of interest,” Cllr
Cahill said.
Cllr Healy-Rae insisted in response that he was referring to “different cases”.
Commissioner Harris said An Garda Síochana did not condone leaks.
“Information being leaked from the organisation is entirely against it,” he said.
“It is not appropriate and in breach of discipline regulations and, in some cases, GDPR... Any individual leaking information is putting the organisation and their own careers in jeopardy,” he said.
When asked by the media, ahead of the meeting, if Cllr Healy-Rae should even be allowed to sit on the policing committee given his conviction, Commissioner Harris said it was a matter for the JPC’s members.
Cllr Healy-Rae was elected to Kerry County Council in May 2019 and was appointed, unopposed, by his fellow councillors to the Kerry JPC at the council annual general meeting in June. Concerns have been raised about whether or not it is appropriate for the local councillor to sit on the JPC given his conviction for assault causing harm.