Taoiseach denies garda sacking bid over Morris Tribunal
The Justice Minister did not try to sack the Garda Commissioner following the damning Morris Tribunal Report into garda corruption in Co Donegal, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern insisted in the Dáil today.
Mr Ahern was responding to a question by Labour leader Pat Rabbitte at Leaders’ Questions on whether Minister Michael McDowell had “sought the removal” of Commissioner Noel Conroy after Judge Frederick Morris’ findings were published on June 1.
“There is no truth whatsoever,” said Mr Ahern.
“Not a shred of truth in the issue about the minister calling for the resignation of the Commissioner. None.”
Justice Morris said in his second interim report that a garda investigation into the 1996 hit-and-run death of Donegal cattle dealer Richie Barron was “utterly negligent” and that local suspects Frank McBrearty Jnr and his cousin Mark McConnell were deliberately framed for his murder.
Two senior gardaí have since resigned and five garda officers have been transferred to Dublin stations.
Mr McDowell today published 11 last-minute amendments to the Garda Bill which were cleared by Cabinet yesterday.
The new proposals and will be published today before the final report stage of the legislation is debated today and tomorrow.
The amendments give the Garda Commissioner special powers to sack gardai up to inspector rank if “his or her continued membership would undermine public confidence in the force and if the dismissal of the member is necessary to maintain that confidence“.
A new whistleblowers charter to be introduced aims to protect officers who report “allegations of corruption and malpractice“.
