Garda chief to address fallout immediately

Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy is to cut short his summer holidays by more than a week in order to return to Dublin immediately to address the continuing fallout from the latest Morris tribunal reports.

Mr Conroy was not due back to Garda headquarters until Monday week, but he has decided to return to Dublin immediately.

As well as the tribunal reports, it is understood that he will carefully consider a statement made on Thursday night by the Garda Representative Association (GRA) in support of Det Sgt John White, despite the fact that the tribunal linked him to serious criminality. A meeting on the matter between Mr Conroy and the GRA is expected to be arranged.

Mr Conroy will also consider the dismissal of Det Sgt White, who yesterday protested his innocence. "I would fight being fired," he said. "I am a victim. I told the truth. The truth is not palatable to the Government or the commissioner."

It has emerged that Det Sgt White is seeking to retire on maximum pension immediately. He is claiming that the last five years he has spent on suspension from the force should be counted as pensionable service.

If successful, he would be entitled to a pension equal to half of his salary of around €50,000 as well as additional pension payments based on Garda allowances and a gratuity payment of an estimated €85,000.

He has been paid an estimated €200,000 since being suspended in 2001.

The Morris tribunal has implicated him in the planting of a gun at a Travellers' camp and a hoax explosive device at a telecommunications mast. He was suspended as investigations began which later resulted in two prosecutions against him. He was acquitted on both occasions.

At the time of his suspension from the force, which is still in place, he had almost 26 years of service in the Garda, well short of the 30 years needed to retire on full pension.

However, his solicitor Paudge Dorrian told The Irish Times that, because Det Sgt White was acquitted at trial, his suspension period should now be added to his service record, which would bring him over the 30-year mark.

Sources familiar with the Garda regulations said a suspended member cleared of any wrongdoing would usually be reinstated. At that point their period of suspension would be added to their service.

However, given the scathing criticism of Det Sgt White in the tribunal reports, his reinstatement looks highly unlikely despite his acquittals in court.

Det Sgt White was acquitted in court last month on charges relating to the planting of a shotgun at a Traveller site at Burnfoot, Co Donegal, in May 1998.

He was also acquitted on charges in early 2005 of making false statements to gardaí on three dates in 1998 and three charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice between June and December 1998.