Garda chief promises inquiry on any alleged wrongdoing at banks

GARDA COMMISSIONER Fachtna Murphy has vowed to investigate any alleged wrongdoing in the banking sector, saying there was never a white collar crime the force was unable to investigate.

Responding to calls from the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) for the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) to investigate the “banking elite”, Mr Murphy said he believes the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation is best placed to carry out any inquiry. “The Cab has a particular remit, and I wouldn’t want it to be used for anything other than that remit,” Mr Murphy said at AGSI’s annual conference in Athlone, Co Westmeath.

“I am very happy and confident that the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation has 65 staff and that they are able to investigate these matters. There’s never been a white collar crime that An Garda Síochána wasn’t able to investigate.” He said when he had received a complaint about banking practices from the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, he appointed Assistant Commissioner Derek Byrne to lead the investigation.

Mr Murphy said Mr Byrne had command of any of the specialist units in the force that might be needed to investigate any banking matter. He refuted recent media reports suggesting Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan was now in charge of Garda promotions as part of the public sector recruitment and promotions freeze. He said while Mr Lenihan would approve any promotion, it had always been the case that promotions of superintendents and higher ranking officers were approved by the Government.

Under the measures just introduced, selection of an individual to be promoted would remain within the Garda. Proposed promotions would then be taken to Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern, who would in turn make the case to Mr Lenihan for the sanctioning of money needed for the promotion.

Mr Murphy said that under the public sector recruitment and promotions moratorium, there was a waiver clause for exceptional cases. He was discussing this clause with Mr Ahern and his officials, and expected progress soon in relation to Garda promotions.

“To run the Garda Síochána there are a number of positions throughout the country at superintendent rank and at chief superintendent rank which hold statutory responsibilities, and I need to have people in those positions,” he said.

He suggested some vacancies would be filled with redeployments and by “training up” personnel to assume some of the responsibilities of more senior colleagues who had retired.

Despite the recruitment freeze, Mr Murphy believed the Garda was well placed to meet challenges.

“Right now I have 14,500 sworn officers, I have 2,000 officials, 330 reservists; I have a total of 17,000 people, with 700-plus in training. So we’re starting from a good base.”

While he was “concerned” at the 10 gun murders so far this year, he was “heartened” at progress in many of the related inquiries. The number of guns being seized and the increased number of people before the courts on drug charges was proof of the Garda’s effectiveness in tackling organised crime.

Mr Murphy told AGSI delegates that there was €80 million available this year for overtime, including €21 million for Operation Anvil, which targets organised crime. Any “discretionary resources” would be diverted to boost overtime.