The attendance of an Assistant Garda Commissioner at a recent fundraising function for the Fianna Fáil leader, Bertie Ahern, has been condemned by Labour TD Ciarán Lynch as an alarming departure from established practice, which threatens the open politicisation of the Garda.
Mr Lynch has also accused the Minister for Justice, Brian Lenihan, of approving the actions of the Assistant Commissioner Martin Donnellan, who attended a fundraising function for Mr Ahern organised by the O'Donovan Rossa cumann of Fianna Fáil at the Clontarf Castle Hotel on December 1st.
Mr Lynch tabled a Dáil question to Mr Lenihan asking him to outline the regulations governing the involvement of members of the Garda in party political matters and their attendance at political functions; if his attention has been drawn to the reported attendance of a senior Garda officer at a fundraising function (details supplied); if such an attendance would be consistent with regulations and if he would make a statement on the matter.
In a response the Minister said he had been informed by the Garda Commissioner that the circumstances of the officer's attendance at this social event with friends did not constitute a breach of the discipline regulations.
"The officer was a passive attendee in a social context and took no part in political matters. The officer has not engaged in any prohibited activity which would interfere with the discharge of his duties or which would give apprehension in relation to his impartiality in the discharge of his duties," said Mr Lenihan in a written reply.
"I believe that this is a seriously mistaken view on the part of both the Minister and the Commissioner," said Mr Lynch yesterday. "It is impossible to understand how attendance at a fund-raising function for the leader of a political party, whether as a guest or with an appropriate financial contribution made by or on behalf of the officer concerned, could not be regarded as identifying himself publicly with a political party."
The Cork Labour TD said that the Garda Síochána had served successive governments of different political hues with studied independence since the foundation of the State. The force had prided itself on its non-political status and officers, particularly at senior level, had generally respected and honoured that status.