Garda Commissioner pressure
Senator Craughwell argued that Garda Commissioners have too often been forced out and suggested someone inside management knows more about current controversies. The Chair noted the matter had been debated the previous night, and Craughwell continued pressing for accountability.
I rise to discuss the Garda Síochána again. I was disturbed all night last night thinking about the pressure on Commissioner O'Sullivan to resign and step aside. I did a little bit of work on the Garda Síochána, and it is interesting to note that in the history of the State no Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces has been forced out of office. Since the foundation of the State going back to the Geary case in Ennis in the 1920s, and a Fianna Fáil Government in the early noughties compensated Mr. Geary for how he was hounded out of the Garda Síochána and it is to be admired for it-----
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I appreciate that and I am coming to my point.
I believe 60% of Garda Commissioners have been hounded out of office since the foundation of the State. In senior Garda management today there is somebody who knows what is going on and is afraid to speak. I put out a call today and I hope the Leader will support me. Whoever that person is, let the entire force not be tarred with a rotten brush. Somebody knows what is going on and is afraid to speak. It is just possible the Commissioner is under pressure from her management group and that she is not able to speak out. If somebody there has something to say I am sure any Member of the House would be willing to meet him or her and assist with a protected disclosure. We cannot allow this to go on indefinitely. Hounding Nóirín O'Sullivan out of office will not solve the problem at the end of the day. There is something rotten and the ordinary gardaí on the street need support at this point in time. If somebody there feels he or she has something to contribute, let that person come forward. I am sure the Leader would be happy to meet such a person. I would and so would anyone in the House.
We must not allow this situation to continue. I cannot believe how gardaí must have felt this morning or any day when reporting for duty. If someone has something to say, come out and say it.