The Garda Representative Association has said there is no evidence to suggest any aspect of the investigation into the Jobstown protest, at which Tánaiste Joan Burton was trapped in her car, was subject to political interference.
The association, which represents some 10,000 rank and file gardaí and is led by general secretary PJ Stone, was critical of Anti-Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy, who expects to face charges over his role in the protest last November, for saying the response to it was “heavy-handed” and that Garda resources should be deployed differently.
An editorial in the association’s Garda Review magazine says: “Dáil Deputy Paul Murphy was arrested early in the morning at his home in connection with the Jobstown protest; not by appointment at his local garda station.
“No matter what the reasons for the arrest, despite local intelligence gardaí can seldom be absolutely certain of the number of people present at the address, or what might be there,” it continues.
“Should TDs be treated differently from the rest of the population? Is that what is inferred in ‘political policing’? Just because Mr Murphy is an elected member of the Dáil, for example, should gardaí naturally infer that he does not own a dog capable of biting? Are Dáil deputies to be afforded different treatment in criminal investigations?”
Mr Murphy made further allegations of political policing recently when he was denied a permit to collect money for its party because of its involvement in protests which led to public disorder,
Chief Supt Orla McPartlin said the decision was reached as the alliance had been involved in protests which had led to arrests, and some of those arrested were members of the organisation.
The association says that since its foundation it has campaigned “vociferously against political interference in policing”, adding that “there is no evidence to suggest that any aspect of this investigation was subject to political interference - yet once again politicians are quick to use policing as a tool of political communication; thrusting it into partisan politics.”