THE Garda Commissioner had "some neck" to criticise politicians who highlighted deficiencies in the Garda's operations, the Independent TD, Mr Tony Gregory, said yesterday.
Mr Gregory and the other two politicians most closely associated with the anti drug movement in Dublin, Mr Joe Costello TD and the Sinn Fein councillor, Mr Christy Burke, reacted strongly last night to the Garda Commissioner's remarks.
The comments of the Commissioner, Mr Pat Byrne, came against a background of support from the politicians for anti drug campaigners held by gardai under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act. The Commissioner said the Garda could not "look the other way because somebody who carries out a crime happens to be involved in a particular activity".
Mr Gregory said: "As head of a force which waited until a journalist was murdered before taking action against the big drug gangs, he has some neck to be criticising politicians who were merely offering constructive criticism of the force, and merely pointing out deficiencies as we saw them on the ground."
Mr Gregory and Mr Costello said the Garda had moved against anti drug campaigners on the basis of information provided by people known in their communities as drug dealers.
Mr Burke said the Garda Commissioner had a right to make his remarks, but he had "a right to bring to Pat Byrne's attention what I think is a bad way of developing relationships with communities".