Archbishop warns against ‘constant criticism’ of gardaí

The Catholic Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has warned against "constant criticism" of the Garda.

In a lengthy address on 'Good Governance, Culture and Ethics' at the Institute of Public Administration in Dublin today, he said: "When I speak of law and law enforcement I feel strongly that in Ireland today we need to restore confidence in the workings of the law. While there have been failings within An Garda Síochána, a culture of constant criticism of our police force is not good for society or for the economy or for the mainstream of a force which is highly dedicated and highly professional."

He continued: “The regrets expressed at the closure of Garda stations is in itself a real expression of appreciation for the contribution the gardaí make within our communities and the respect in which they are held.”

Dr Martin spoke of how in corporate governance “the concept of personal responsibility is central. It can be very easy to say that I did not know and that the blame is with someone else. When things go wrong and it comes to the crunch, resignations often take place at the lower levels.”

This was also a problem in the Church.

The Archbishop was “stunned” when dealing with scandals of child sexual abuse “to encounter what I came to call the ‘baking the cake culture’. I only put in the sugar and he only put in the flour, but neither of us have any responsibility for the cake because were not there when it was put into the oven. We are all responsible for the foreseeable consequences for our actions and for our omissions”

He also warned against “spin”, which he described as “a huge business in Ireland” and which was “rarely the friend of transparency.”

Where spin gets out of control “people are left adrift not knowing where they stand, where the truth is to be found, and the confidence in institutions is weakened,” he said. You can win “many battles with spin, but spin in the long run weakens victory of the real war which is about trust and confidence,” he said.

Transparency, Dr Martin said “is an essential part of efficient governance. Transparency involves allowing all stakeholders in business and in public service to know their rights and to be able to claim their rights and entitlements.”

Looking at the high levels of youth unemployment in Ireland, he said "the answer is not just sending more and more people to third level education and even subsidising it. There must be more room for apprenticeship and the involvement of business in the task of generating employment prospects for the young. Countries like Germany and Switzerland have done this successfully."

Pope Francis, he said, " has shown remarkable sense of leadership. He has achieved something that is the real dream of any CEO: he has turned around the image of his office and of his organization."

He did so “without the help of expensive public relations strategies and spin doctors.”