Sir, - I note that a retired assistant Garda Commissioner has been appointed by the Garda Complaints Board as "independent" inspector of complaints about the behaviour of gardaí at the recent Reclaim The Streets demonstration in Dublin (The Irish Times, June 7th).
I have no doubts about the integrity of the appointee, but this is to miss the point that institutions tend to close ranks for their own protection in times of crisis, rather than care for the rights of individuals. Recent events in the Catholic Church would seem to provide evidence for this.
The chairman of the Complaints Board, Mr Gordon Holmes, says the board believed the proper person to carry out an investigation of the Irish police was an Irish investigator. When it was pointed out that outside police and judicial figures had been invited to investigate policing in Northern Ireland, he replied:Do you want me to go to England or France?"
Later, he said that he was also aware that there could be legal challenges to the board's investigations. Gardaí, like any members of the public, had a right to make a legal challenge to the proceedings in the High Court. Mr Holmes then said he hoped the gardaí would be prepared to allow the board to do its work.
Why not someone from England or France? - Yours, etc.,
FRANK KELLY,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.