Garda Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan is not the only one to have circled the wagons in response to damaging revelations concerning inappropriate financial behaviour, inaccurate statistics and the treatment of whistleblowers within the force. Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald appears to have adopted a need to know approach on key issues while Taoiseach Enda Kenny remains determined not to lose a second Commissioner.
Buying time and political space is the name of the game. That consideration is also evident in Fianna Fáil’s response as the party has moved from not having confidence in Ms O’Sullivan to calling for her resignation. Rather than force the issue and risk an election, however, it has indicated declining confidence in the Minister for Justice and an unwillingness to see her reappointed.
This pass the parcel charade is doing serious damage to public confidence in the integrity and accountability of the Garda Síochána. The appearance of a rift between senior civilian executives within the Garda and the Commissioner over a lack of rigor involving investigations and audits and appropriate responses has confirmed a reluctance to embrace the need for cultural change within the force.
The response of the minority Government has been to sanction yet another "root and branch" review. If the intention is to secure a proposal to streamline the organisation by removing national security from its functions, it seems to be an unnecessarily circuitous approach. A comprehensive and robust report by the Garda Inspectorate Changing Policing in Ireland has effectively gathered dust for two years. Whether this is because of resistance by middle-ranking gardaí or because Ms O'Sullivan has been unwilling or unable to implement its recommendations is unclear. The extent of her difficulties involving internal discipline became obvious last December, however, when a strike was threatened by organisations representing gardaí, sergeants and inspectors.
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Removing Ms O’Sullivan will not solve the problems facing the Garda. Resistance to reform, transparency and cultural change is far too entrenched for that. But it would send an unequivocal message that old ways will not be tolerated. Recruitment of an external Commissioner, provided with adequate backup through additional civilian and police appointments, would address governance issues. In addition, on-the-job training would be required for middle management, along with investment in necessary technology.
The Government has quoted due process in refusing to sack the Commissioner. Some justification for that stance came when she was wrongly accused of misleading the Public Accounts Committee. However, the status quo is untenable. Almost inevitably, Mr Kenny's impending replacement as Taoiseach will crystallise the situation.