Garda plagued by indiscipline, says Morris report
17/08/2006 - 15:23:07An Garda Siochana has been plagued by mass insubordination and discipline has been severely eroded, a major corruption inquiry revealed today.
The latest reports from the Morris Tribunal found there had been a fatal blurring between indiscipline and industrial relations in the force.
Former President of the High Court Mr Justice Frederick Morris identified specific misbehaviour by a number of individual officers in Donegal throughout the mid-1990s.
But he also said it was not limited to the county.
The judge concluded that proper discipline has been lost in the force and the cumbersome machinery used to deal with complaints against officers is overly and unnecessarily complex.
Mr Justice Morris called for firm but fair measures to combat abuse of the system and restore morale.
Michael McDowell, Justice Minister, said the findings were a matter of grave concern.
“The finding by the tribunal that discipline has been severely eroded is a very grave finding,” the minister said.
“The gross abuses of powers and fabrication of evidence that are identified in these reports are completely unacceptable and deplorable.
“I want to assure the public and those upstanding members of the Service that there will be no toleration of such appalling behaviour.”
Mr McDowell outlined new draft discipline regulations designed to deal with complaints against officers and allegations of corruption in the future.
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