Fine Gael and Labour are to call for a judicial inquiry to be conducted into allegations of Garda wrong-doing in Co Donegal. The Fine Gael leader, Mr Michael Noonan, said this weekend that the Government's decision to appoint a senior lawyer to review the investigation into the issues surrounding the death of Richie Barron from a hit-and-run incident in 1996 was an insufficient response.
"It's another cynical political device to keep this ball in the air until the election is over," Mr Noonan said.
He was speaking on Saturday after addressing members of Young Fine Gael at a conference in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, where he called on them to be the standard-bearers of a vision-driven party.
He said he and the Labour Party leader, Mr Ruair∅ Quinn, would move a motion in the Dβil tomorrow to have a full judicial inquiry. "This has the support of the Labour Party. I understand it has the support of the Greens and we will be asking the Independents, including the two Independents from Donegal, to support this motion as well."
The McBrearty family from Raphoe, Co Donegal, is taking a High Court action against the State claiming it has been the victim of Garda harassment. Two members of the extended family were investigated as part of a murder inquiry following Mr Barron's death.
The DPP decided not to prosecute. Subsequently, 160 summonses against the family were dropped by the DPP.
Mr Noonan said the allegations of Garda harassment had to be dealt with. The force was very good but it always had to be accountable to the Government.
"Allegations made against members of the force cannot be left unexamined by any government because unexamined allegations always undermine a police force."
If some of the allegations were upheld, recommendations would be made which would have wider application that to the Donegal division of the garda∅." He believed the Garda Complaints Board had been deliberately under-resourced which had led to complaints being uninvestigated. "In the first instance, I would resource the present complaints tribunal," he said.
Asked about introducing non-Garda members to the board, he said such people, who would need expertise in crime, were difficult to find. "The people in this country who have the skills to investigate crime are in the guards.
"I am prepared to look at wider amendments but the first issue is to make sure that that the complaints board does its job as envisaged under legislation and it cannot do that unless it gets the people and the money."
The McBrearty family's barrister, Mr Peter Nolan SC, has said there is an urgent need for an independent body to investigate complaints against the Garda, claiming that it is ridiculous for garda∅ to be investigating other garda∅.