The Garda Síochána has been shamed by the lying and corruption of some of its officers in Donegal, Commissioner Noel Conroy admitted tonight.
With more damaging revelations expected when the Morris Tribunal resumes later this month, Commissioner Conroy said he regretted that the force had been tarnished by the handling of the investigation into the death of cattle dealer Richie Barron.
As he faced calls for his resignation, Mr Conroy said he would be implementing the recommendations of Judge Frederick Morris's second report as a matter of urgency.
The report found the Garda inquiry into Mr Barron's hit-and-run death was "prejudiced, tendentious and utterly negligent in the highest degree".
It noted chronic incompetence, criminal negligence, fraud, deceit and an attempt by officers to cover it up. A total of 30 recommendations were put forward by Judge Morris in a bid to address failings in the force and prevent a recurrence.
A spokesman for An Garda Siochana said the entire force had been tarnished by the shocking findings of the Morris report. "The Commissioner acknowledges the excellent work being done on a daily basis by the vast majority of the Garda membership throughout the country and regrets that the bad behaviour of a few has tarnished the reputation of An Garda Siochana," he said.
The Commissioner also said he regretted that procedures were not followed in the Barron inquiry. "The Commissioner welcomes and acknowledges the findings in the report and is committed to implementing the recommendations contained therein," a statment issued through the Garda Press Office said.
After the first Morris report was published last summer, Supt Kevin Lennon was sacked while another superintendent and chief superintendent retired. The Commissioner also dismissed a number of gardai.
But with at least 10 officers, including three superintendents, cited for negligence in Justice Morris's second report published yesterday, the Commissioner will be under mounting pressure to reform the.
A debate on the first and second interim reports will be held in the Dail and Seanad later this month after politicians on all sides called for immediate action.
Apart form a trail of mistakes and lies committed by officers which prevented the proper investigation of Mr Barron's death, the judge found gardai failed to co-operate with his investigation and said they had lied to the tribunal and obstructed it.
The tribunal began investigating allegations of Garda corruption in Donegal in July 2002 and is not expected to complete its work until at least 2007.
PA