Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

Former Garda press officer, Superintendent Dave Taylor, claims that he sent a text to the Garda Commissioner, Nóirín O'Sullivan, some years ago in which he told her that a journalist had interviewed a person making allegations against Maurice McCabe. Superintendent Taylor claims Commissioner O'Sullivan sent a one-word reply, "Perfect." We are told now that Commissioner O'Sullivan's phone from that time has gone missing and cannot be provided to the Charleton tribunal - perfect. Superintendent Taylor's phone has not been provided to the Charleton tribunal either. It was taken from him as part of an internal Garda investigation led by Commissioner O'Sullivan's husband and has not been returned to him.

Commissioner O' Sullivan's husband has Superintendent Taylor's phone and the Commissioner cannot find her own phone - perfect, again. A senior Garda source told The Irish Timesthat "A search of Garda headquarters has taken place in recent weeks to try to find the missing phones, but there is little hope of the material being found at this stage". I would say not. Was that phone officially reported missing? If so, when exactly? Was Martin Callinan's phone officially reported missing? If so, when exactly? I am given to understand that Nóirín O'Sullivan used a second personal phone, known as the "off-site" phone, for some Garda business. Has this phone been sought or has she lost it too?

More than 1,200 people at 100 sampling points in all constituencies were asked last Tuesday and Wednesday, before the story of the missing phones broke, whether Nóirín O'Sullivan should resign. A total of 57% said she should resign, 23% said she should not, while 19% expressed no opinion. This means that nearly three out of every four who expressed an opinion said that she should go. The people who are policed by An Garda Síochána, the people who pay their wages, have spoken decisively on this issue. The Government's failure to act reveals a huge democratic deficit on policing and threatens to open up a crisis of legitimacy for An Garda Síochána.

There has been lots of talk this week about legacy. This is all part of the Taoiseach's legacy and it is far from perfect. Is the Taoiseach going to continue to keep the Garda Commissioner in her position and allow the further undermining of the Charleton tribunal?

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