Mounting pressure as opposition calls for Nóirín O’Sullivan to resign
The Taoiseach and Tánaiste came under sharp criticism in the Dáil as Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and the Labour Party all accused Government of failing to address the latest controversy within the force.
Enda Kenny announced that yet another “root and branch” review of An Garda Síochána had been signed off on by Cabinet, which was immediately attacked and dismissed by opposition parties yesterday.
Mr Kenny said Ms O’Sullivan was entitled to the confidence of the Government and rebuffed calls for her to resign. “This is not about an individual but the structure of An Garda Síochána,” he said.
The Taoiseach said it is “gravely important” that the public have “faith and trust” in the gardaí to carry out their duties “fairly and impartially and in accordance with the laws of the land”.
Mr Kenny said: “It is crucial that the public can believe the statistics and other information provided by An Garda Síochána. The Government believes that the level of public concern is now so profound that it is time to conduct a thorough, comprehensive and independent root and branch review of An Garda Síochána.”
But Labour leader Brendan Howlin pointed out that a similar independent review had been announced only a matter of weeks ago when revelations around whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe surfaced.
Mr Howlin said: “That was the response of the Independent Alliance to the last crisis a few weeks ago. That was its bolt into that. Of course, we have heard nothing since.”
There were rowdy scenes as members of the opposition accused Ms Fitzgerald of “running for cover” and demanded she come before the Dáil to answer questions on how the gardaí were able to grossly exaggerate the number of breath tests carried out and why 14,700 people wrongly received sanctions and convictions for driving offences.
Solidarity-PBP TD Mick Barry said the Taoiseach was “treating the house in a similar fashion” to the last Dáil when his party had a significant majority, but this was no longer the case and he said the Tánaiste was answerable to the chamber.
The business committee was forced to convene an emergency meeting and agreed that Ms Fitzgerald come back before the house for questioning at 6pm.
Calling for Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan to go, Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald said a review would not overhaul the culture of the gardaí as “a fish rots from the head down”.
“Only in Ireland would politicians be standing here today, debating whether the person who is ultimately responsible for all of this mess should remain in her job. The biggest mistake that the Taoiseach and the Minister [for Justice] could make is to leave Commissioner O’Sullivan in position,” she said.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said the public “are genuinely shocked” by the revelations “in particular the fact that 146,000 people were summoned to court wrongly for road traffic infringements and, of those, 14,700 received sanctions and convictions”.
