GARDA COMMISSIONER Fachtna Murphy is to meet the National Newspapers of Ireland (NNI) to discuss the Garda’s shielding of a witness from the media at the murder trial of Eamonn Lillis.
Mr Murphy declined to comment on the specifics of the case, saying he was precluded from doing so until after the trial was over. However, he confirmed he had had a request from NNI to meet it.
“I will be meeting them when the trial is over. I will be discussing that issue and other issues regarding the relationship with An Garda Síochána and the media. I will comment publicly on it in the future, but as of now I cannot comment.”
NNI is the representative body for Ireland’s national newspapers and Irish editions of British national newspapers. It represents 18 newspapers.
Mr Murphy, who was speaking at the Garda Training College, Templemore, Co Tipperary, yesterday, did not mention the Eamonn Lillis case specifically, but his comments yesterday clearly related to the case.
During last week’s evidence, witness Jean Treacy was allowed to use an underground entrance to and from court, ensuring her photograph could not be taken by waiting media. She was driven from the courts complex in a Garda vehicle after giving evidence.
Meanwhile, Mr Murphy confirmed that gardaí in Cork were investigating a claim by the Real IRA that it was behind the murder of convicted Cork drug dealer Gerard Stanton.
Stanton (41) was shot dead outside his house at Westlawn on January 20th.
The admission of responsibility came from a group claiming to be the 32 County Sovereignty Movement, which sent a statement on behalf of the Real IRA to the Evening Echo newspaper in Cork.
The statement said it had warned drug dealers in the area to stop dealing, but that some had continued their activities.
It added that it would carry out further attacks if those who had already been warned did not desist.
Mr Murphy said the Garda was taking the statement seriously because of the background of those claiming involvement.
However, the Garda team investigating Stanton’s murder were “keeping an open mind” and several lines of inquiry apart from the Real IRA link were being examined.
Minister of State for Justice John Curran, who is responsible for the national drugs strategy, congratulated gardaí on their recent successes in combating drug crime.
Mr Curran, who was deputising in Templemore for Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern, said while a number of Government departments were examining the issue of so-called head shops, the issue was a “complex” one.
“It’s not unique to Ireland; it’s right across Europe. None of our European partners have managed to solve this issue and even closing the shops isn’t enough because a lot of these products are being sold on the internet. So it has to be a concerted effort right across Europe.”