The Garda Representative Association (GRA) has told Donegal gardaí to give "accurate, full and honest" evidence to the Morris tribunal's upcoming investigations into allegations of Garda corruption in Donegal.
Speaking on RTÉ's Week In Politics, the GRA General Secretary, PJ Stone acknowledged that the association had been wrong in the past to advise Donegal members not to account for their actions.
However, he said, all members had now been told to co-operate with the Morris tribunal in its next round of inquiries into the detention of Frank McBrearty jnr, blackmail allegations and other issues. "Those who are going out to Mr Justice Morris to give evidence, we are saying to them through our solicitor, give an accurate and full and honest account of the issue relating to your duties in Donegal," he said.
But he complained that senior garda officers have not suffered the same punishments as rank and file members from the Morris tribunal investigation into Donegal policing.
Three gardaí have been dismissed from the force, including Det Garda Noel McMahon, while five more have been transferred to Garda headquarters in Dublin and could yet face disciplinary action on foot of the investigation into the death of Richie Barron in Raphoe, Co Donegal, in October 1996 and the earlier concoction of false IRA operations.
Calling for changes to the Garda Síochána Bill, Mr Stone said Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Michael McDowell should not impose tougher disciplinary rules without improving industrial relations. "The reform and modernisation of An Garda Síochána should take a holistic approach and not be pursued on purely disciplinary grounds,"
He acknowledged that public trust and confidence in the Garda had been damaged. "A small few have sullied the name of the Garda and there is a long process ahead in rebuilding public trust and confidence that will require better leadership from all its stakeholders," he said.
Mr Stone supported a Patten-like commission of inquiry rather than "leaving it to the reactionary whims of politicians who had obfuscated for long enough".
The proposal to set up a Garda Ombudsman Commission should be changed so that gardaí are not involved in investigating any complaints about investigations, or members of the force.
"We believe that it is a mistake to have any garda involved in an investigation . . . Unfortunately, we are going to be scapegoated again if the commission doesn't work, the same as we are being scapegoated now in relation to issues in Donegal," he told RTÉ.
The Labour Party will push on Tuesday in the Dáil for the establishment of an independent commission on policing which should be given 18 months to report on future policing needs.
The move is necessary, said Labour leader, Pat Rabbitte, following the Morris tribunal's reports and the Government's failure "to acknowledge the seriousness" of its findings.