Garda Commissioner, Noirin O’Sullivan, has urged an Independent TD to contact GSOC with any concerns she may have about Garda malpractice. The call comes following a claim by Deputy Claire Daly that a member of An Garda Síochána witnessed a senior colleague shooting dead a member of the public, and was then instructed to cover it up. She made these claims during Leaders Questions in the Dáil two weeks ago.
Speaking to reporters at the Garda Representative Association (GRA) annual conference in Co. Carlow, Noirin O’ Sullivan said she is aware of the allegations but not the specifics.”I’m not aware of the specifics around the allegations so I think we would need to have more specifics before we could even come to the conclusion that it is an allegation of murder.
“But I do think if anybody wants to come forward and bring those allegations forward we will certainly investigate them, but I think with a matter of such seriousness, it would be appropriate that it be brought to the Garda Ombudsman Commission,” she said.
This comes as Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald announced €700,000 in funding for new specialised vehicles to support an enhanced operational response by Gardaí to current and emerging crime threats. “I am acutely aware of the consequences for you of the economic situation in the country and I’m also aware that resourcing was severely cut as a result of the economic meltdown. As we have seen in the area of policing, we have been able to invest significantly for the first time in years, in Garda recruitment, in Garda vehicles, in Garda buildings; and in new ICT infrastructure and systems. But if we wish to continue that investment then we must continue to ensure economic stability and we must continue to work to protect the recovery,” she said.
