Rights group welcomes report on Garda

A new report that recommends that An Garda Síochána should promote a new "culture of accountability" has been welcomed by the…

A new report that recommends that An Garda Síochána should promote a new "culture of accountability" has been welcomed by the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL).

The report, which is the final submission of the Advisory Group on Garda Management and Leadership Development, recommends that "delegation downwards through the organisation should be matched with accountability upwards."

It adds there should be "performance measurement and appraisal at all levels" and "proper arrangements are made for training and staff development".

The advisory group, comprising four civilian appointees and chaired by former Senator Maurice Hayes, was appointed last year by then-justice minister Michael McDowell.

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The group had the remit of advising senior Garda management on management and leadership challenges facing the force.

Speaking today, ICCL director Mark Kelly said: "The Hayes group is calling for a new culture of accountability within An Garda Síochána. As the ICCL has consistently stressed, this should include measuring the performance of members of An Garda against human right standards."

"There is an urgent need for the introduction of a human rights monitoring framework that will assist a new generation of Garda managers to render our police service fully human rights compliant," he added.

The ICCL Director also stated his disappointment at the failure of the Government to act on the advisory group's proposal that the search for a new Garda Commissioner should be conducted internationally.

The Government announced the promotion of Deputy Commissioner Fachtna Murphy to the post of Garda Commissioner earlier this month.

The report also welcomed recent undertakings to fill two senior posts within the Garda that would help in the selecting senior civilian staff and in maintaining communications with the media.