It was only last week that the Garda Representative Association held a special meeting to express their anger at the treatment of one of their members by sections of the media. They felt so strongly about this insult to one of their members that they decided to organise a boycott of the particular newspapers involved.
The Garda Commissioner himself felt so angry about the incident that he described it as “Disgusting, insensitive and hurtful.”
Yesterday, innocent Irish tax payers were fined a total of €4.6 million because of the criminal behaviour of a number of members of this force. In a ruthless conspiracy to gain promotion they destroyed the life of Frank Shortt and his family with consequences best described by one of the judges.
“A tormenting saga of imprisonment, mental and physical deterioration, estrangement from family, loss of business, public and professional ignominy and despair”.
Another judge made the following comments
“These Gardai were out of control. The whole affair graphically illustrates Mr. Justice Morris’ conclusion that the Gardai are losing their status as a disciplined force.”
“What happened in this case is nothing less than an obscenity.”
“The outrageousness of what was done, the very long period required to discover it, the failure of An Garda Siochana itself expressly to acknowledge and apologise for the misdeeds of its members and the grave risk to society as a whole if Gardai behave as some of those involved in this case behaved render it absolutely necessary to make a substantial award of exemplary damages.”
So how have the Garda Commissioner, the Garda Representative Association and the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors reacted to this outrage? – SILENCE.
Judge Morris is right; this is a police force out of control.
The words you speak are very true Anthony. There is a circling of the wagons as usual in the Representative Bodies. But let us not forget that there are one or two Newspapers seriously out of control in this country also. The sooner Mr McDowell brings in the Sin Bin the better and there must be no question of Self Regulation. The Gardai are a classic example of what happens when organisations are allowed police themselves.
I have a feeling that the Sin Bin will shortly become known as “the Sindo Bin” unless Tony O’Reilly and co. clean up their act pretty quickly. Time for old Aungish to hang up his Silk Thong I think.