THE following is yesterday's Garda Siochana press release:
Police investigations by their very, nature, and when "taking on major criminals, cannot afford to have each step of such investigations "teased out" in the public arena. No police force could operate in such a scenario. The Garda Siochana is no different, and the community it serves would expect its police force to operate in a professional and diligent manner.
It is very disquieting to have publicly debated, on a daily basis, the intricacies of Garda operations, particularly when they contain inaccuracies and have the potential for jeopardising on going operations and the placing of some people in a life threatening situation.
All Garda operations/investigations are governed by procedures and legislative controls. Such was the case in the Garda seizure of 13.5 tons of cannabis in November 1995, and the subsequent investigation. No breaches of procedure or legislation occurred.
Non constructive criticism, irresponsible reporting by some people in the media and political point scoring have now achieved what the Garda Siochana tried, unsuccessfully, to prevent.
A situation now prevails where:
1. Lives are threatened.
2. The international investigation is seriously damaged.
3. The victims of crime, particularly drug related crime, are the losers and the only beneficiaries are those people who make their living from their involvement in criminal activity.
The Garda Siochana wishes to get on with its obligation to provide an effective policing service to all citizens, particularly those who are the most vulnerable in our society, the young, the weak and the elderly. In doing that the Garda Siochana requires the support and confidence of all law abiding citizens.
March 10th, 1996