Garda criticised in human rights report

An independent human rights audit of An Garda Síochána has found that procedures and operating practices within the force "can lead to institutional racism" particularly in relation to Nigerians, Travellers and Muslims.

The Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy said he accepted all of the recommendations arising from the audit and said these would all be implemented by the end of 2007. Senior officers had already been fully briefed.

Some members of the force expressed concern to the authors of the audit "about the increase in racist attacks and the lack of police action to tackle these".

The report, which was published yesterday, also recommends a review of bullying and anti-harassment procedures saying some gardaí questioned during the audit had expressed concerns in this regard.

There was an "urgent need" for better race and diversity training in order that gardaí would be better equipped to deal with Ireland's changing and diverse community.

The audit also found "little evidence that human rights are embedded" in the force's policy or operational procedures.

It recommends that the Department of Justice review the role of An Garda Síochána in enforcing immigration law. The force's role in this area had sometimes undermined its efforts to develop good relations with minority communities giving rise to conflict instead.

The audit will not make easy reading for Garda management and the Government, coming as it does on the same day the Nigerian student Olukunle Elukanlo returns to Ireland after strong public reaction against his deportation. There has also been strong criticism at the handling of other recent deportations.

Several members of the force expressed concern to the report's authors, Ionann Management Consultants, about nepotism in the promotions procedures. They also complained about "procedures for progression which militated against women members".

The audit was carried out by Ionann and was commissioned by the force's Human Rights Working Group. This group was established following a Council of Europe initiative on policing and human rights which took place between 1997 and 2001.

Some 4,000 questionnaires were sent out to serving members and civilians working for the force in July 2003. The questionnaires were sent to one-third of those serving between the ranks of garda and sergeant and one- third of the civilian staff.

All of those ranked inspector to superintendent were sent a questionnaire. Some 1,242 were completed and returned.

Ionann also interviewed 20 of the force's most senior officers and 25 community groups also took part in the process.

In a statement last night, the Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy, who was interviewed for the audit in July 2003, said he fully accepts the recommendations in the report and he intended to implement them.

Mr Conroy had studied the report's 15 recommendations and a clear timetable for the implementation of these had already been drawn up. These were published along with the audit yesterday. The recommendations would be introduced on a phased basis before the end of 2007.

Mr Conroy has asked the Assistant Commissioner Nacie Rice to "oversee and ensure the implementation of all aspects of the report".

At a management seminar two weeks ago at the Garda College, Templemore, senior officers of Chief Supt rank or higher received an extensive briefing on the audit and the action plan. Among the 15 main recommendations are as follows:

Identify and tackle institutional racism.

Deal robustly with racist crime and protect vulnerable communities.

Protect the human rights of the force's staff.

Undertake a human rights impact assessment of existing and forthcoming policy and operational procedures and establish systems to monitor compliance with human rights.

Provide more support for staff to report human rights abuses.