Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Northern Ireland is facing an election, mainly because of the intransigence of Mrs. Arlene Foster and her refusal to stand down to facilitate an investigation into the cash for ash scandal. I read today that the Taoiseach is about to commence a commission of investigation into certain Garda matters following the O'Neill report. Yesterday, the Garda Commissioner was on the airwaves telling us how wonderful everything is and how wonderful she is herself, bombing us with doublespeak. Meanwhile, the harassment of whistleblowers continues.

Last December, in reply to a question of mine, the Tánaiste said, "the Garda Commissioner is entitled to her good name - as, indeed, are people making allegations entitled to theirs - unless facts properly established prove otherwise". Mr. David Taylor was interviewed for 21 hours. A file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions in September 2015 with no decision yet. Nothing has been proved against him. Is the Garda Commissioner allowed to ride roughshod over fair procedure in this area? The Commissioner said yesterday, "I've absolutely no knowledge nor was I privy to any campaign to undermine any individual in An Garda Síochána". Mr. Keith Harrison wrote to her 14 times detailing his harassment and bullying. He has been out sick since May 2014. He is on €188 per week and has three kids at home. Mr. Nick Keogh has got nothing but grief since he reported malpractice.

The Commissioner was boasting yesterday about taking part in the fight against heroin. However, she has protected the chief superintendent who has been involved in the heroin case in Athlone. Last year, she placed a superintendent on the promotion list who has been accused on numerous occasions of harassing a whistleblower. In June 2015, the Garda Commissioner appointed an assistant commissioner to carry out an investigation into the allegations surrounding the chief superintendent and the garda from the drug squad in Athlone. It was the same assistant commissioner who had been accused of earlier leaking information back to the superintendent who was the subject of the complaint. In October 2015, the Commissioner stated that she had commenced an investigation into this alleged conflict of interests. There has not been a word of that since. I wonder where it is.

Following its investigation into the matter, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC, asked for disciplinary procedures to be taken against them. Who did Nóirín O'Sullivan appoint to look after it? Yes, the very same assistant commissioner, who also happens to be retiring in April, will probably will not even get to the end of the process and will delay it all even further. This month, GSOC asked to oversee the disciplinary procedure. Its request was refused. When is the Taoiseach going to publish the report? Will he include the protected disclosures of all whistleblowers in the investigation? If he does not, it is only a case of kicking the can down the road, because we will eventually have to do it. Does the Taoiseach intend to leave the Commissioner in place while the investigation goes on? It would make a mockery of it if he does.

See this speech in context