Gardai don't ignore colleagues' offences - Byrne

The Garda Commissioner Mr Pat Byrne has insisted that gardai would not ignore alleged offences perpetrated by their colleagues.

Reacting to criticisms of the force's response to the Garda Complaints Board investigation into the May Day disturbances, Mr Byrne admitted he would be "concerned" if members of the Garda Síochána were not co-operating with the investigation.

This evening he said he had not read the report so it would not be right for him to comment on that specific case.

However, Commissioner Byrne did note however that Assistant Commissioner Mr Tony Hickey reported he had encountered no difficulties in relation to garda co-operation during his internal inquiry into the incidents.

Speaking on radio this evening Commissioner Byrne said the key question about gardai who were arrested and appeared before the courts was who arrests them.

"The question one has to ask is who arrested those people? Who gave the evidence in the court? - their own colleagues, men and women of the Garda Síochána. That goes on an ongoing basis in all kinds of breaches of the law.

"I think that sends out a signal that the members of the Garda Síochána do not ignore a wrongdoing in terms of serious crime by their fellow colleagues," he added.

The Commissioner also said that under the Garda Complaints Act "members on duty, are obliged to answer questions, in a certain set of circumstances."

During the week the Garda Síochána Complaints Board said it was "very disappointed" with the lack of co-operation from rank-and-file officers in its inquiry. Board chairman, Mr Gordon Holmes said 150 letters were sent to officers serving on the march, inviting them to offer their account of events and only 20 officers responded. Not one was able to identify their colleagues.