Two bus-loads of Achill Islanders travelled 40 miles to Westport, Co Mayo, yesterday to stage a silent protest outside a Garda barracks in which a Garda stationed on the island, Garda Peadar Howley, was the subject of an disciplinary inquiry into his conduct during a dispute over the erection of an ESAT telephone mast last year.
The mast, a 40 ft structure which was to be located at a site in Keel opposite the Garda station, was never erected after up to 300 islanders, raising objections on grounds of safety and health, mounted a protest campaign. The inquiry lasted until 7 p.m. yesterday. Garda Howley was found guilty of misconduct and aggressive behaviour towards another garda and cautioned. A second charge of abusive language during a telephone conversation with the other garda was thrown out and a third charge of discreditable conduct by preventing the erection of a mast last August was dismissed.
Garda Howley was called to answer charges relating to his stance of supporting islanders in their opposition to the mast and also with regard to his conduct towards another Garda member based in Dublin who contacted the station during the dispute. Mr John Jordan, for Garda Howley, sought to have the charges against his client dropped, but failed to do so at yesterday's in camera hearing.
A clash occurred between over 50 gardai and 300 islanders on June 9th last year when residents chained themselves to the perimeter fences containing the telephone mast base, ultimately preventing the mass being erected. The protesters yesterday waved placards which bore the inscriptions - "We will stand by the man who stood by us", "Garda Howley on trial because he stood up for justice for the people", "Restore our faith in the Gardai!". Ms Martina Cowley, a spokesperson for the Keel protest group, stated: said: "Garda Howley stood up for us and we are standing up for him."
"This is also a statement to ESAT and any other body that they are not going to walk over the people of Achill. We are a very strong-minded and committed community and this is an issue that has left a bad smell in the area," said Ms Cowley.
Ms Cowley said the planning authorities had confirmed that the erection of the planned mast in Keel last year was illegal. "It contravened planning regulations on a number of grounds," she said. "The mast was 10 ft too high. The base was too small to contain it and it was being erected under a Ministerial Order, which meant that people were not given the opportunity to exercise their right to object."
Five local protesters have been summoned to appear at Achill Sound District Court next Thursday to face charges relating to their conduct over the mast erection. "They were only summonsed after they lodged complaints over the treatment of people by gardai with the Garda Complaints Board. Garda Howley, when he stands up for his people . . . he too is treated with these bullyboy tactics", said Ms Cowley.