Judicial inquiry established into Sergeant's death as GSOC end their investigation
The Minister for Justice is to establish a judicial inquiry into the death of Sgt Michael Galvin, as GSOC end their investigation into the case.
The Donegal Garda appears to have taken his own life at Ballyshannon Garda Station in Donegal last Thursday, he had been the subject of a GSOC investigation.
He was reportedly unaware that he had been cleared in relation to the inquiry.
Welcomed news .Fitzgerald establishes inquiry over garda's death via @RTENewsNow http://t.co/VCJkWBaWpW
— David Hall (@davidhall75) June 4, 2015
This evening, following a meeting with the Association of the Garda Sergeants and Inspectors and GSOC, Frances Fitzgerald said that she has decided to investigate matters surrounding the death of Sgt Galvin.
GSOC has announced that it is ending its investigation into the Sergeants death, citing its sensitivity to the concerns of Sgt Galvin's family, colleagues and the wider public.
The statement issued by the Garda Ombudsman said that although much of what was said about its involvement with the case was 'misleading, inaccurate and inflammatory' it could potentially damage GSOCs credibility in the public's eyes.
Between Spygate and the botched investigation that led to the suicide of Sgt. Michael Galvin, GSOC has about as much credibility as FIFA
— Mick McCaffrey (@mccaffreymick) June 4, 2015
"We are convinced that our interaction with the late Sergeant Galvin was proportionate and reasonable," the statement said.
"We were aware of the possibility of our investigation becoming compromised due to our prior engagement with Sergeant Galvin.
"We have come to believe that we need a stronger vindication of the appropriateness of our interactions with Sergeant Galvin. We are therefore calling on the Minister for Justice to consider a section109 investigation, in other words appointing a judicial figure to examine our interaction with Sergeant Galvin," the statement said.
The Garda Representative Association (GRA) recently stated its view that GSOC was not an appropriate agency to investigate the high-ranking garda's death, due to their direct involvement with him.
