The Garda Representative Association (GRA) last night launched a strong attack on the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, saying his track record on dealing with issues within the force and his proposals to reform An Garda Síochána "have all been found lacking in substance", writes Conor Lally.
In an editorial carried in the latest issue of the Garda Review magazine, the GRA accuses Minister McDowell of "refusing to facilitate a criminal investigation" into his allegations that some journalists bribe some gardaí for stories.
The Garda Review is the official magazine of the GRA. The editorial was circulated by the GRA last night. It said when the Minister published the heads of his Bill as a precursor to the new Garda Síochána Act, Garda representative associations had stayed silent.
They had done this because they felt the proposed changes to the force were so serious it was important to conduct negotiations with the Minister and his officials "out of the glare of public sound-bite".
"Isn't it ironic that . . . [the staff associations] now find themselves dragged into a controversy because the very Minister wants to introduce legislation that will effectively prevent members of the Garda Síochána from having discussions with members of the press? He himself cannot avoid - and almost gets ecstatic at the very idea of - a microphone or a camera being pointed in his direction."
It continued that although the Minister had only made allegations regarding journalists and gardaí against "a very small number of personnel" the issue had done untold damage to the force and had "blackened" it.
"We are left in the invidious position where the Minister is refusing to facilitate a criminal investigation by passing the information, claimed to be in his possession, to the Garda Commissioner. We can only imagine the reaction if a member of An Garda Síochána was in possession of this information - where that became a matter of public record.
"One can only conclude that he would \ on that occasion - how shocked and horrified he is to think that members of the force would be in possession of information detailing one of their colleagues involved in one of the most heinous of crimes. The Minister would be disgusted. Moreover he engages in a publicity stunt by announcing 'what he knows' in the most veiled way. This in itself is inconsistent with the transparency and accountability that he advocates."
It concluded by saying before the Minister "rushes to a camera or microphone" he should consult with the staff representative associations. "Perhaps he will also listen, and address issues of welfare and the difficulties and problems of policing. So far, his track record in dealing with these issues - like his proposals for the new Garda Síochána Bill - have all been found lacking in substance."
A spokesman for the Minister last night said Mr McDowell had always engaged the GRA and other Garda associations. He added the measures regarding the relationships between gardaí and journalists were aimed at controlling unauthorised leaks, which risked investigations, the security of the State and the privacy of members of the public.
"The GRA have gotten the complete wrong end of the stick," the spokeman said. "The Minister couldn't go into more detail because if he did he would be in the same position as that which he is trying to stop."