Guerin report condemns gardaí and Ombudsman
Gardaí, its watchdog and the justice ministry failed in their duties to properly investigate allegations of corruption and malpractice, the Guerin report has found.
The review of claims of bad policing by respected whistleblower Maurice McCabe has warned that no official body was prepared to act on the word of the highly regarded officer.
In a 300-page report containing shocking cases of negligent police work, barrister Sean Guerin has called for a statutory inquiry to examine the force - the latest in a series of full scale tribunals into policing standards in Ireland.
The State inquiry is being urged to examine several Garda investigations which were brought to the attention of the authorities but inadequately acted on.
These include cases involving sex offences, child abduction, false imprisonment of a girl and child pornography.
It also recommends a probe into how the former garda commissioner Martin Callinan, and Alan Shatter, who resigned as justice minister on Wednesday, dealt with the disturbing concerns flagged up to them.
The Guerin review pointed the finger at the Garda, the Garda Ombudsman and the Department of Justice for failing to heed the word of Sergeant Maurice McCabe after he first raised concerns in September 2012.
“No complex organisation can expect to succeed in its task if it cannot find the means of heeding the voice of a member whose immediate supervisors hold him in the high regard in which Sgt McCabe was held,” the report said.
“Ultimately, An Garda Siochana does not seem to have been able to do that. Nor does the Minister for Justice and Equality, despite his having an independent supervisory and investigative function with specific statutory powers.
“The same appears to be true of Gsoc (Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission).”
Mr Guerin hit out at the ombudsman’s office for not making documentation available to his review in relation to Sgt McCabe’s complaints and how they were handled.
