Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister has not told us whether Mr. Justice Cooke will have the power to examine the Commissioner and retired gardaí. GSOC reached damning conclusions in this section 80(5) report despite assurances in 2012 from Commissioner Martin Callinan that it was his belief members of the Garda Síochána were co-operating with GSOC. Even on the publication by GSOC of this section 85 Boylan report, Commissioner Callinan reiterated his belief that gardaí had co-operated with the GSOC investigation. This obstinance and internal logic is central to the blue wall of silence and the resolute refusal to submit to outside accountability within the Garda Síochána, along with a resolute resistance to admitting that any cultural change within the Garda Síochána is even necessary, much less committing to implementing a programme of reform.

The reaction of the Garda Commissioner to external criticism is not unusual. He similarly publicly rejected the criticisms of Mr. Justice Smithwick and the Smithwick tribunal report that the Garda Síochána valued loyalty to the force over truth and honesty. The response of the Commissioner was that he simply did not accept the judge's findings. How in God's name can the Minister stand over keeping the Commissioner in place?

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