Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In one of the cases, the senior investigator from GSOC told his solicitor that the Garda was refusing to co-operate and would not supply documents he was looking for or comply with his requests. I have got the very same reply from the individual who made a complaint in Kilkenny. We have a serious problem. The absence of sanctions for indiscipline among senior gardaí is glaring. It seems that senior gardaí are untouchable in their own divisions and districts. There is no effective system to discipline senior gardaí who misbehave. They are lawless. I do not say the Commissioner is responsible for it all because I would say she does not even know what is going on half the time. There is a serious problem in how the organisation works. It is not the rank and file gardaí who are the culprits; it is senior gardaí who are not being held to account. These two people have been put through hell by senior Garda authorities and pressure is still being applied to them. They are not being treated properly. There are no protections for them. The Minister can talk about legislation until the cows come home. We have building regulations in this country as well that are the envy of the planet but when we do not apply them and we do not investigate building work, they are worth zero. The same applies to the legislation unless the rules and regulations are applied on the ground but that is not happening right now.

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