Gildea says Owen abused powers

There was uproar in the House when Independent Donegal South West TD Mr Tom Gildea said former Minister for Justice, Mrs Nora Owen, should be investigated for abusing her powers and putting unacceptable pressure on garda∅ in Donegal, when in office.

In an extraordinary scene in the Chamber, the House was adjourned twice before Mr Gildea, at the request of the Ceann Comhairle, Mr Seamus Pattison, withdrew his accusations.

During his speech Mrs Owen, who was not in the chamber, rushed from her office to the Dβil to insist that Mr Gildea withdraw "those disgraceful charges against me", when she was in office during the rainbow coalition of 1995 to 1997.

Mr Gildea, who has rarely spoken in the House, also said he favoured criminal proceedings rather than a tribunal of inquiry into the allegations of misconduct against garda∅ in Donegal.

He accused the former minister of acting as a "willing and enthusiastic handmaiden" of Cable Management Ireland and claimed she had received financial remuneration. Mr Gildea was elected as an independent on the television deflector issue.

Mr Pat Rabbitte (Lab, Dublin South West) described the allegations as the "most scurrilous allegations I have ever heard" and said he was appalled that the Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, failed to intervene to stop Mr Gildea.

Mrs Owen said: "At no stage did I as minister ever order or coerce or demand that garda∅ in any force, single or multiple go in anywhere." She denounced Mr Gildea's comments as a lie and said: "I will not allow my name to be besmirched - he cannot produce any evidence nor is there any evidence."

Later, the Fine Gael leader, Mr Michael Noonan, spoke of Mrs Owen as an honourable and distinguished Minister for Justice who had taken on organised crime.

The controversy arose following the death in 1995 of a local cattle dealer, Mr Richie Barron, which led to the arrest of members of the McBrearty family who alleged Garda harassment. A murder investigation was subsequently dropped.

Five years after his death, Mr Barron's body was exhumed and a new examination determined he had died in a hit-and-run incident.

Mr Gildea, in his speech, told the chamber it was absolutely necessary that offending members of the Garda be weeded out and subject to the full rigour of the law.

The TD claimed that from December 13th, 1995 up to the dissolution of that government in 1997 a force of up to 100 garda∅ was amassed for use against the rural, law-abiding population of the Ardara Glenties area.

He said that about a year later the burning of a portable building and the find of an explosive device at the site of the proposed MMDS transmission linked to the arrest, detention and interrogation of the Dever families.

He said the gardai in Donegal were subjected to "unacceptable pressure" by the then minister who abused her powers in dealing with the Garda.

He described Mrs Owen as an "enthusiastic and willing handmaiden of Cable Management Ireland" who had received financial remuneration and it was not only the Garda but their political masters of that time who should be investigated.