Sir, - Having read the report (May 15th) regarding the Garda Commissioner's laceration of the Garda Siochana and the president of their association, as a former member of the Garda, I would like to make a few comments.
Commissioner Culligan says that the Garda force reflects the society which it polices and it is generally recognised world wide that a country's police force reflects the moral standing of any country. That being the case, and given the level of sexual activity and hypocrisy in this country, from politicians down, I think that he is very lucky that he has only one flasher on his hands, out of a force of around 10,500.
I am sure there is more immoral behaviour amongst members of the Oireachtas, which comprises around 200 people and I feel that he should be more upbeat in this matter and in fact, should be boasting that there is only one flasher in the force. I think that it is an excellent record, given the amount of sexual activity, illicit and otherwise, that the Garda come across in the course of their duties.
And I feel that he should commandeer the Government jet from his fellow county man, the Tanaiste, and organise a junket for himself and his senior officers to go to some other country as promiscuous and as immoral as Ireland, if he can find one, to check the number of flashers they have in their police force and how they deal with the problem. - Yours, etc.,
Drumcondra, Dublin 9.