Garda Síochána

An Garda Síochána
Common name	Gardaí
Shield of An Garda Síochána
Motto	Working with communities to protect and serve
Agency overview
Formed	22 February 1922
Preceding agencies	Royal Irish Constabulary Irish Republican Police Dublin Metropolitan Police (in 1925)
Employees	16,328 (total) 13,093 sworn members 2,071 civilian staff 1,164 reserves
Annual budget	€1.426 billion (2015)
Legal personality	Governmental: Government agency
Jurisdictional structure
National agency	Ireland
An Garda Síochána area of jurisdiction in dark blue
Size	70,273 km²
Population	4,588,252
General nature	Law enforcement Civilian police
Operational structure
Headquarters	Garda Headquarters, Phoenix Park, Dublin
Officers	14,257 (incl. 1,164 reserves)
Civilians	2,071
Elected officer responsible	Frances Fitzgerald (T.D.), Minister for Justice and Equality
Agency executive	Nóirín O'Sullivan, Garda Commissioner
Regions	6 Dublin Metropolitan Region (DMR) Eastern Northern Southern South-Eastern Western
Facilities
Stations	564
Vehicles	2,390
Boats	Garda Water Unit
Aircraft	2 helicopters 1 fixed-wing surveillance aircraft
Canines	Garda Dog Unit
Horses	Garda Mounted Unit
Website
www.garda.ie
Footnotes
^ "Working with Communities to Protect and Serve" is described as mission statement rather than formal motto

An Garda Síochána (Irish pronunciation: [ən ˈɡaːrd̪ə ˈʃiːxaːn̪ˠə]; meaning "the Guardian of the Peace"), more commonly referred to as the Gardaí or "the guards" ([ˈɡaːɾˠd̪ˠiː] "Guardians"), is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Garda Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish government. Its headquarters are in Dublin's Phoenix Park.

Terminology

The force was originally named the Civic Guard in English, but in 1923 it became An Garda Síochána in both English and Irish. This is usually translated as "the Guardian(s) of the Peace". Garda Síochána na hÉireann ("of Ireland", Irish pronunciation: [ˈɡaːrd̪ə ˈʃiːxaːn̪ˠə n̪ˠə ˈheːɾʲən̪ˠ]) appears on its logo but is seldom used elsewhere.

The full official title of the force is rarely used in speech. How it is referred to depends on the register being used. It is variously known as An Garda Síochána; the Garda Síochána; the Garda; the Gardaí (plural); and it is popularly called "the guards". Although Garda is singular, in these terms it is used as a collective noun, like police.

An individual officer is called a garda (plural gardaí), or, informally, a "guard". A police station is called a Garda station. Garda is also the name of lowest rank within the force (e.g. "Garda John Murphy", analogous to the British term "constable" or the American "officer", "deputy", "trooper", etc.). "Guard" is the most common form of address used by members of the public speaking to a garda on duty. A female officer was once officially referred to as a bangharda ([ˈbˠanˌɣaːɾˠd̪ˠə]; "female guard"; plural banghardaí). This term was abolished in 1990, but is still used colloquially in place of the now gender-neutral garda.

Organisation

Rank	Irish name	Number of operatives (31 August 2014)
Commissioner	Coimisinéir	1
Deputy Commissioner	Leas-Choimisinéir	0
Assistant Commissioner	Cúntóir-Choimisinéir	8
Chief Superintendent	Príomh-Cheannfort	41
Superintendent	Ceannfort	140
Inspector	Cigire	300
Sergeant	Sáirsint	1,946
Gardaí	Gardaí	10,459
Reserve Gardaí	Gardaí Ionaid	1,112
Student Gardaí	Mac Léinn Ghardaí	200

The force is headed by the Garda Commissioner, whose immediate subordinates are two Deputy Commissioners – in charge of "Operations" and "Strategy and Change Management", respectively – and a Chief Administrative Officer with responsibility for resource management (personnel, finance, Information and Communications Technology, and accommodation). There are twelve Assistant Commissioners: one for each of the six geographical Regions, and the remainder dealing with various national support functions. At an equivalent or near-equivalent level to the Assistant Commissioners are the positions of Chief Medical Officer, Executive Director of Information and Communications Technology, and Executive Director of Finance.

The six geographical Assistant Commissioners command the six Garda Force Regions, which are currently:

1. Dublin Metropolitan Region
2. Eastern
3. Northern
4. Southern
5. South-Eastern
6. Western

A group of Gardaí

Directly subordinate to the Assistant Commissioners are approximately 50 Chief Superintendents, about half of whom supervise what are called Divisions. Each Division contains a number of Districts, each commanded by a Superintendent assisted by a team of Inspectors. Each District contains a number of Subdistricts, which are usually commanded by Sergeants.

Typically each Subdistrict contains only one Garda station. A different number of Gardaí are based at each station depending on its importance. Most of these stations employ the basic rank of Garda, which was referred to as the rank of Guard until 1972. The most junior members of the force are students, whose duties can vary depending on their training progress. They are often assigned clerical duties as part of their extracurricular studies.

The Garda organisation also has over 2,500 non-officer support staff encompassing a diverse range of areas such as human resources, occupational health services, finance and procurement, internal audit, IT and telecommunications, accommodation and fleet management, scenes-of-crime support, research and analysis, training and general administration. The figure also includes industrial staff such as traffic wardens, drivers and cleaners. It is ongoing government policy to bring the level of non-officer support in the organisation up to international standards – thus enhancing its capacity and expertise in a range of specialist and administrative functions, and releasing more of its police officers for core operational duties.

Reserve Gardaí

Main article: Garda Síochána Reserve

The Garda Síochána Act 2005 provided for the establishment of a Garda Reserve to assist the force in performing its functions, and supplement the work of members of the Garda Síochána.

The intent of the Garda Reserve is "to be a source of local strength and knowledge". Reserve members are to carry out duties defined by the Garda Commissioner and sanctioned by the Minister for Justice and Equality. With reduced training of 128 hours, these duties and powers must be executed under the supervision of regular members of the Force; they are also limited with respect to those of regular members.

As of November 2010 there are 850 graduated Reserve Gardaí, and another 148 in further training. The first batch of 36 Reserve Gardaí graduated on 15 December 2006 at the Garda College, in Templemore.

The two helicopters of the Garda Air Support Unit

Sections

• National Support Services consists of:
  • National Bureau of Criminal Investigation
  • Criminal Assets Bureau
  • Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau
  • Bureau of Fraud Investigation
  • National Immigration Bureau
  • Technical Bureau
• Operational Support Unit that consists of:
  • Air Support Unit
  • Water Unit
  • Dog Unit
  • Mounted Unit
• Garda Crime & Security Branch consists of:
  • Special Detective Unit
  • Emergency Response Unit
  • National Surveillance Unit
• Traffic Corps
• Public Order Unit
• Regional Support Units
• Central Vetting Unit
• Garda Information Services Centre
• Community Relations Unit
• Garda Síochána College
• Garda Síochána Reserve

Rank structure

Ranks of the Garda Síochána

Rank	Student Reserve	Student	Garda Reserve	Garda	Sergeant	Inspector	Superintendent	Chief Superintendent	Assistant Commissioner	Deputy Commissioner	Commissioner
Insignia

Equipment

Most uniformed members of the Garda Síochána do not routinely carry firearms. Individual Gardaí have been issued with ASP extendable batons and pepper spray as their standard issue weapons while handcuffs are equipped as restraints.

A member of the motorcycle unit of the Garda Síochána

The force, when originally created, was armed, but the Provisional Government reversed the decision and reconstituted the force as an unarmed police force. This was in contrast to the attitude of the British Dublin Castle administration, which refused appeals from the Royal Irish Constabulary that the force be disarmed. In the words of first Commissioner, Michael Staines, TD, "the Garda Síochána will succeed not by force of arms or numbers, but on their moral authority as servants of the people."

According to Tom Garvin such a decision gave the new force a cultural ace: "the taboo on killing unarmed men and women who could not reasonably be seen as spies and informers."

Armed Gardaí

Garda Síochána Emergency Response Unit armed with an UZI sub machinegun on duty in Dublin

The Gardai is primarily an unarmed force; however, detectives and certain units such as the Regional Support Units (RSU) and the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) are commissioned to carry firearms and do so.

The armed officers serve as a support to regular Gardaí. Armed units were established in response to a rise in the number of armed incidents dealt with by regular members. To be issued with a firearm, or to carry a firearm whilst on duty, a member must be in possession of a valid gun card, and cannot wear a regular uniform.

Armed Gardaí carry Sig Sauer P226 and Walther P99C semi-automatic pistols. Armed intervention units and specialist Detective units carry a variety of long arms, primarily the Heckler & Koch MP7 sub-machine guns as the standard issue weapon alongside the Heckler & Koch MP5.

In addition to issued pistols, less-lethal weapons such as tasers and large pepper spray canisters are carried also by the ERU.

Diplomatic protection

An armed close protection officer from the Special Detective Unit protecting Queen Elizabeth II in 2011

The Garda Special Detective Unit (SDU) are primarily responsibility for providing armed close protection to senior officials in Ireland. They provide full-time armed protection and transport for the President, Taoiseach, Tánaiste, Minister for Justice and Equality, Attorney General, Chief Justice, Director of Public Prosecutions, Ambassadors and Diplomats deemed 'at risk' (such as the Ambassadors, Embassies and Diplomatic Residences of the United Kingdom, United States, Israel), as well as foreign dignitaries visiting Ireland and citizens deemed to require armed protection as designated so by the Garda Commissioner. The Commissioner is also protected by the unit. All cabinet ministers are afforded armed protection at heightened levels of risk when deemed necessary by Garda Intelligence, and their places of work and residences are monitored. Former Presidents and Taoisigh are protected if their security is under threat, otherwise they only receive protection on formal state occasions. The Emergency Response Unit (ERU), a section of the SDU, are deployed on more than 100 VIP protection duties per year.

Vehicles

See also: List of vehicles used by the Garda Síochána

Garda Toyota Avensis

Garda patrol cars are white or silver in colour, with a fluorescent yellow and blue bordered horizontal strip, accompanied by the Garda crest as livery. Traffic Corps vehicles adopt a half battenburg pattern. Unmarked patrol cars are also used in the course of regular, traffic and investigatory duties.

History

New Garda recruits salute the President of Ireland, An Tóstal, 1954

The Civic Guard was formed by the Provisional Government in February 1922 to take over the responsibility of policing the fledgling Irish Free State. It replaced the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) and the Irish Republican Police of 1919–22. In August 1922 the force accompanied Michael Collins when he met the Lord Lieutenant in Dublin Castle.

Garda Traffic Corps in Dublin

The Garda Síochána (Temporary Provisions) Act 1923 enacted after the creation of the Irish Free State on 8 August 1923, provided for the creation of "a force of police to be called and known as 'The Garda Síochána'". Under section 22, The Civic Guard were deemed to have been established under and to be governed by the Act. The law therefore effectively renamed the existing force.

The seven-week Civic Guard Mutiny began in May 1922, when Garda recruits took over the Kildare Depot. It resulted in Michael Staines' resignation in September.

During the Civil War of 1922–23, the new Free State set up the Criminal Investigation Department as an armed, plain-clothed counter-insurgency unit. It was disbanded after the end of the war in October 1923 and elements of it were absorbed into the Dublin Metropolitan Police.

In Dublin, policing remained the responsibility of the Dublin Metropolitan Police (DMP, founded 1836) until it merged with the Garda Síochána in 1925. Since then the Garda has been the only civil police force in the state now known as Ireland. Other police forces with limited powers are the Military Police within the Irish Defence Forces, the Airport Police Service, and Dublin Harbour Police and Dún Laoghaire Harbour Police forces.

Garda directing traffic in Dublin during the 1960s

Scott Medal

See also: List of Gardaí killed in the line of duty

First established in 1925, the Scott Medal for Bravery is the highest honour for bravery and valour awarded to a member of the Garda Síochána. The first medals were funded by Colonel Walter Scott, an honorary Commissioner of the New York Police Department. The first recipient of the Scott Medal was Pat Malone of St. Luke's Cork City who – as an unarmed Garda – disarmed Tomás Óg Mac Curtain (the son of Tomás Mac Curtain).

To mark the United States link, the American English spelling of valor is used on the medal. The Garda Commissioner chooses the recipients of the medal, which is presented by the Minister for Justice and Equality.

In 2000, Anne McCabe – the widow of Jerry McCabe, a garda who was killed by armed Provisional IRA bank robbers – accepted the Scott Medal for Bravery that had been awarded posthumously to her husband.

The Irish Republican Police had at least one member killed by the RIC 21 July 1920. The Civic Guard had one killed by accident 22 September 1922 and another was killed in March 1923 by Frank Teeling. Likewise 4 members of the Oriel House Criminal Investigation Department were killed or died of wounds during the Irish Civil War. The Garda Roll of Honor lists over 80 Garda members killed between 1922 and the present.

Garda Commissioners

Main article: Garda Commissioner

Garda Commissioners

Name	From	Until	Reason
Michael Staines	February 1922	September 1922	resigned
Eoin O'Duffy	September 1922	February 1933	dismissed
Eamon Broy	February 1933	June 1938	retired
Michael Kinnane	June 1938	July 1952	died
Daniel Costigan	July 1952	February 1965	resigned
William P Quinn	February 1965	March 1967	retired
Patrick Carroll	March 1967	September 1968	retired
Michael Wymes	September 1968	January 1973	retired
Patrick Malone	January 1973	September 1975	retired
Edmund Garvey	September 1975	January 1978	replaced
Patrick McLaughlin	January 1978	January 1983	retired
Lawrence Wren	February 1983	November 1987	retired
Eamonn Doherty	November 1987	December 1988	retired
Eugene Crowley	December 1988	January 1991	retired
Patrick Culligan	January 1991	July 1996	retired
Patrick Byrne	July 1996	July 2003	retired
Noel Conroy	July 2003	November 2007	retired
Fachtna Murphy	November 2007	December 2010	retired
Martin Callinan	December 2010	March 2014	retired
Nóirín O'Sullivan	March 2014	(incumbent)

The first Commissioner, Michael Staines, who was a Pro-Treaty member of Dáil Éireann, held office for only eight months. It was his successors, Eoin O'Duffy and Éamon Broy, who played a central role in the development of the force. O'Duffy was Commissioner in the early years of the force when to many people's surprise the viability of an unarmed police force was established. O'Duffy later became a short-lived political leader of the quasi-fascist Blueshirts before heading to Spain to fight alongside Francisco Franco's Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War. Broy had greatly assisted the Irish Republican Army (IRA) during the Anglo-Irish War, while serving with the Dublin Metropolitan Police (DMP). Broy's fame grew in the 1990s when he featured in the film Michael Collins, in which it was misleadingly suggested that he had been murdered by the British during the War of Independence, when in reality he lived for decades and headed the Garda Síochána from 1933 to 1938. Broy was followed by Commissioners Michael Kinnane (1938–52) and Daniel Costigan (1952–65). The first Commissioner to rise from the rank of ordinary Garda was William P. Quinn, who was appointed in February 1965.

One later Commissioner, Edmund Garvey, was sacked by the Fianna Fáil government of Jack Lynch in 1978 after it had lost confidence in him. Garvey won "unfair dismissal" legal proceedings against the government, which was upheld in the Irish Supreme Court This outcome required the passing of the Garda Síochána Act 1979 to retrospectively validate the actions of Garvey's successor since he had become Commissioner. Garvey's successor, Patrick McLaughlin, was forced to resign along with his deputy in 1983 over his peripheral involvement in a political scandal.

On 25 November 2014 Nóirín O'Sullivan was appointed as Garda Commissioner, after acting as interim Commissioner since March 2014, following the unexpected retirement of Martin Callinan. It was noted that as a result most top justice posts in Ireland at the time were held by women. The first female to hold the top rank, Commissioner O'Sullivan joined the force in 1981, and was among the first members of a plain-clothes unit set up to tackle drug dealing in Dublin.

Past reserve forces

During the Second World War (often referred to in Ireland as "the Emergency") there were two reserve forces to the Garda Síochána, An Taca Síochána and the Local Security Force.

An Taca Síochána had the power of arrest and wore uniform, and were allowed to leave the reserve or sign-up as full members of the Garda Síochána at the end of the war before the reserve was disbanded. The reserve was established by the Emergency Powers (Temporary Special Police Force) Order, 1939.

The Local Security Force (LSF) did not have the power of arrest, and part of the reserve was soon incorporated into the Irish Army Reserve under the command of the Irish Army.

Inter-jurisdiction co-operation

Northern Ireland

The Patten Report recommended that a programme of long-term personnel exchanges should be established between the Garda Síochána and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). This recommendation was enacted in 2002 by an Inter-Governmental Agreement on Policing Cooperation, which set the basis for the exchange of officer between the two services. There are three levels of exchanges:

• Personnel exchanges, for all ranks, without policing powers and for a term up to one year
• Secondments: for ranks Sergeant to Chief Superintendent, with policing powers, for up to three years
• Lateral entry by the permanent transfer of officers for ranks above Inspector and under Assistant Commissioner

The protocols for this movements of personnel were signed by both the Chief Constable of the PSNI and the Garda Commissioner on 21 February 2005.

Garda officers also co-operate with members of the PSNI to combat cross-border crime, and can conduct joint raids on both jurisdictions. They have also accompanied politicians from the Republic, such as the President on visits to Northern Ireland.

Other jurisdictions

Since 1989, the Garda Síochána has undertaken United Nations peace-keeping duties. Its first such mission was a 50 strong contingent sent to Namibia. Since then the force has acted in Angola, Cambodia, Cyprus, Mozambique, South Africa and the former Yugoslavia. The force's first fatality whilst working abroad was Sergeant Paul M. Reid, who was fatally injured while on duty with the United Nations UNPROFOR at "Sniper's Alley" in Sarajevo on 18 May 1995.

Members of the Garda Síochána also serve in the Embassies of Ireland in London, The Hague, Madrid and Paris. Members are also seconded to Europol in The Hague, in the Netherlands and Interpol in Lyon, France. There are also many members working directly for UN and European agencies such as the War Crimes Tribunal.

Under an agreement with the British Government and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Garda Síochána and the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland are allowed to inspect the Sellafield nuclear facility in Cumbria, England.

Controversy and allegations involving the force

Much like every police force in the world, the Gardaí have faced complaints or allegations of discourtesy, harassment and perjury. A total of 1,173 complaints were made against the Gardaí in 2005, with over 2000 complaints made in 2009.

Some such incidents attracted broad attention and resulted in a number of reform initiatives—such as those relating to Garda whistleblowers or which led to the Morris and Barr Tribunals. Others have been more isolated-such as a discussion in 2007 about whether a Sikh applicant to the Garda Reserve would be exempted from standard uniform dress.

Mishandling of cases and complaints

Main articles: Kerry Babies Tribunal, Sexual abuse scandal in Dublin archdiocese, and Grangegorman killings

The Kerry Babies case was one of the first public inquiries into mishandling of a Garda investigation. Later, in the 1980s, the Ferns Report (an inquiry into allegations of clerical sexual abuse) described as "wholly inadequate" the handling of one of eight formal complaints made to Wexford gardaí, but noted that the remaining formal complaints were handled in an "effective, professional and sensitive" manner.

The Gardaí were also criticised in the Murphy Report in relation to the handing over of the case of Fr. Paul McGennis to Archbishop McQuaid by Commissioner Costigan. Some very senior Gardaí were criticised for regarding priests as being outside their remit in 1960. On 26 November 2009, then Commissioner Fachtna Murphy apologised for the failure of the Garda Siochána to protect victims of child abuse in the Dublin Archdiocese. He said that inappropriate relationships and contacts between gardaí and the Dublin Archdiocese had taken place at a time of undue or misguided deference to religious authorities and that these were incompatible with any investigation. On 27 November 2009 he announced that a senior investigator would examine the findings in the report.

The Gardaí were criticised by the commission of investigation into the Dean Lyons case for their handling of the investigation into the Grangegorman killings. In his report, George Birmingham said that the Gardaí had used leading questions in their interviews with Lyons, and had failed to act on a suspicion that Lyons' confession was unreliable. For a period, the gardaí involved in the case failed to act on the knowledge that another man, Mark Nash, had confessed to the crime. They were also criticised for failing to keep adequate records of their interviews with Lyons.

Allegations resulting in Tribunals of Inquiry

Main articles: Morris Tribunal and Barr Tribunal

In the 1990s and early 2000s the Garda Síochána faced allegations of corrupt and dishonest policing in County Donegal. This became the subject of a judicial inquiry: the Morris Tribunal. The tribunal found that some gardaí based in County Donegal had invented a Provisional IRA informer, made bombs and claimed credit for locating them, and attempted to frame Raphoe publican Frank McBrearty Junior for murder – the latter case involving a €1.5m settlement with the State.

On 20 April 2000, members of the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) shot dead 27-year-old John Carthy at the end of a 25-hour siege as he left his home in Abbeylara, County Longford with a loaded shotgun in his hands. There were allegations made of inappropriate handling of the situation and of the reliance of lethal force by the Gardaí. This led to a Garda inquiry, and subsequently, a Tribunal of Inquiry under Justice Robert Barr. The official findings of the tribunal were that the responsible sergeant had made 14 mistakes in his role as negotiator during the siege, and failed to make real efforts to achieve resolution during the armed stand-off. It further stated however that the sergeant was limited by lack of experience and resources (including psychologists, solicitors, dogs), and recommended a review of Garda command structures, and that the ERU be equipped with stun guns and other non-lethal options. The Barr tribunal further recommended a formal working arrangement between Gardaí and state psychologists, and improvements in Garda training.

Allegations involving abuse of powers

One of the first charges of serious impropriety against the force rose out of the handling of the Sallins Train Robbery in 1976. This case eventually led to accusations that a "Heavy Gang" within the force intimidated and tortured accused. This eventually led to a Presidential pardon for one of the accused.

In 2004, an RTÉ Prime Time documentary accused elements within the Garda of abusing their powers by physically assaulting people arrested. A retired Circuit Court judge (W. A. Murphy) suggested that some members of the force had committed perjury in criminal trials before him but later stated that he was misquoted, while Minister of State Dick Roche, accused Gardaí in one instance of "torture". The Garda Commissioner accused the television programme of lacking balance. The documentary followed the publication of footage by the Independent Media Centre showing scuffles between Gardaí and Reclaim the Streets demonstrators. One Garda in the footage was later convicted of common assault, while several other Gardaí were acquitted.

In 2014, a debate arose relating to alleged abuse of process in cancelling penalty points (for traffic offences), and a subsequent controversy resulted in a number of resignations.

Allegations involving cross-border policing and collusion with the IRA

Former head of intelligence of the Provisional IRA, Kieran Conway claimed that in 1974 the IRA were tipped-off by "high-placed figures" within the Gardaí about a planned RUC Special Branch raid, which was intended to capture members of the IRA command. Conway said "We had contacts in the law offices of the state and contacts in the upper echelons of the guards". Asked if this was just a one-off example of individual Gardaí colluding with the IRA, Conway claimed: "It wasn't just in 1974 and it wasn't just concentrated in border areas like Dundalk, it was some individuals but it was more widespread."

Following a recommendation from the Cory Collusion Inquiry, the Smithwick Tribunal investigated allegations of collusion following the 1989 killing of two Royal Ulster Constabulary officers by the Provisional IRA as they returned from a meeting with the Gardaí. The tribunal's report was published in December 2013, and noted that, although there was no "smoking gun", Judge Smithwick was "satisfied there was collusion in the murders" and that "evidence points to the fact that there was someone within the Garda station assisting the IRA". The report was also critical of two earlier Garda investigations into the murders, which it described as "inadequate". Irish Justice Minister Alan Shatter apologised "without reservation" for the failings identified in the report. Martin Callinan, Garda Chief, stated that the notion of Garda/IRA collusion was "horrifying", and the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, declared the report's conclusions to be "shocking".

The family of Eddie Fullerton, a Buncrana Sinn Féin councillor killed in 1991 by members of the Ulster Defence Association, criticised the subsequent Garda investigation, and in 2006, the then Minister for Justice considered a public inquiry into the case.

Operations around the Corrib Gas Project

Main article: Policing of the Corrib gas protests

Gardaí at the site of the proposed Corrib gas refinery in Erris, County Mayo

Protests at the proposed Royal Dutch Shell Corrib gas refinery near Erris, County Mayo saw large Garda operations with up to 200 Gardaí involved. By September 2008, the cost of the operation was €10 million, and by January 2009 estimated to have cost €13.5 million. Some outlets compared this to the €20 million budgeted for operations targeting organised crime. A section of road used by the protesters was allegedly dubbed "the Golden Mile" by Gardaí because of overtime opportunities. Complaints were made about Garda handling of the protests and several TDs criticised the handling of the situation.

Reform initiatives

Arising from some of the above incidents, the Garda Síochána underwent a number of reform initiatives in the early 21st century. The Morris Tribunal in particular recommended major changes to the organisation's management, discipline, promotion and accountability arrangements. Many of these recommendations were subsequently implemented under the Garda Síochána Act 2005.

The Tribunal has been staggered by the amount of indiscipline and insubordination it has found in the Garda force. There is a small, but disproportionately influential, core of mischief-making members who will not obey orders, who will not follow procedures, who will not tell the truth and who have no respect for their officers

— Justice Frederick Morris, Chairman and Sole Member of The Morris Tribunal,

It was also stated by the tribunal chairman, Justice Morris, that the code of discipline was extremely complex and, at times, "cynically manipulated" to promote indiscipline across the force. Judicial reviews, for example, were cited as a means for delaying disciplinary action.

The fall-out from the Morris Tribunal was considerable. While fifteen members of the force were sacked between 2001 and 2006, and a further 42 resigned in lieu of dismissal in the same period, Commissioner Conroy stated that he was constrained in the responses available to deal with members whose misbehaviour is cited in public inquiries.

New procedures and code of discipline

With strong support from opposition parties, and reflecting widespread political consensus, the Minister for Justice responded to many of these issues by announcing a new draft code of discipline on 17 August 2006. The new streamlined code introduced new procedures to enable the Commissioner to summarily dismiss a Garda alleged to have brought the force into disrepute, abandoned duties, compromised the security of the State or unjustifiably infringed the rights of other persons.

Garda Headquarters, Phoenix Park, Dublin

In addition, a four-member "non-officer management advisory team" was appointed in August 2006 to advise on implementing change options and addressing management and leadership challenges facing the Gardaí. The advisers were also mandated to promote a culture of performance management, succession planning, recruitment of non-officers with specialist expertise, and improved training. The advisory team included Senator Maurice Hayes, Emer Daly (former director of strategic planning and risk management at Axa Insurance), Maurice Keane (former group chief executive at Bank of Ireland), Michael Flahive (Assistant Secretary at the Department of Justice and Dr Michael Mulreany (assistant director general at the Institute of Public Administration).

Enhanced non-officer support

Clerical and administrative support has been significantly enhanced in recent times. In the two-year period from December 2006 to December 2008 whole-time equivalent non-officer staffing levels were increased by over 60%, from under 1,300 to approximately 2,100, in furtherance of official policies to release more desk-bound Gardaí for operational duties and to bring the level of general support in line with international norms. A new tier of middle and senior non-officer management has also been introduced in a range of administrative and technical/professional support areas. A Chief Administrative Officer at Deputy Commissioner level was appointed in October 2007 to oversee many of these key support functions.

Garda Inspectorate

In accordance with Section 115 of the Garda Síochána Act, the Garda Síochána Inspectorate consists of three members who are appointed by the Irish Government. The functions of the Inspectorate, inter alia, are as follows:

• Carry out, at the request or with the consent of the Minister, inspections or inquiries in relation to any particular aspects of the operation and administration of the Garda Síochána,
• Submit to the Minister (1) a report on those inspections or inquiries, and (2) if required by the Minister, a report on the operation and administration of the Garda Síochána during a specified period and on any significant developments in that regard during that period, and any such reports must contain recommendations for any action the Inspectorate considers necessary.
• provide advice to the Minister with regard to best policing practice.

The first Chief Inspector (since July 2006), is former Commissioner of Boston Police, Kathleen M. O'Toole. She reports directly to the Minister for Justice and Equality.

From 2006 to 2009, O'Toole was supported by two other inspectors, Robert Olsen and Gwen M. Boniface. Olsen was Chief of Police for 8 years of the Minneapolis Police Department. Boniface is a former Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police, and was one of 3 female police commissioners in Canada when appointed in May 1998. She suggested that rank and file Gardaí were not equipped to perform their duties or protect themselves properly. She also suggested that routine arming may become a reality but dismissed the suggestion that this was currently being considered.

Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission

Main article: Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission

Over 2000 complaints were made against the organisation in 2009. The Garda Commissioner referred over 100 incidents where the conduct of a garda resulted in death or serious injury to the Ombudsman for investigation. Also newly instrumented, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (referred to colloquially as the Garda Ombudsman or simply abbreviated to GSOC) replaces the earlier system of complaints (the Garda Síochána Complaints Board). Becoming fully operational on 9 May 2007, the Commission is empowered to:

• Directly and independently investigate complaints against members of the Garda Síochána
• Investigate any matter, even where no complaint has been made, where it appears that a Garda may have committed an offence or behaved in a way that justified disciplinary proceedings
• Investigate any practise, policy or procedure of the Garda Síochána with a view to reducing the incidence of related complaints

The members of the Garda Ombudsman Commission are: Dermot Gallagher (Chairman; former Secretary General at the Department of Foreign Affairs), Carmel Foley (former Director of Consumer Affairs), and Conor Brady (former editor of The Irish Times and author of a book on the history of the Gardaí). The Commission's first chairman was Kevin Haugh (a High Court Judge) who died in early 2009, shortly before his term of office was to conclude.

Policing Authority

In the first week of November 2014, Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald obtained the approval of the Irish Cabinet for the General Scheme of the Garda Síochána (Amendment) Bill 2014, intended to create a new independent policing authority, in what she described as the 'most far-reaching reform’ of the Garda Síochána since the State was founded in 1922. State security will remain the responsibility of the Minister and will be outside the remit of the Authority. On 13 November 2014, she announced that the chairperson-designate of the new authority would be outgoing Revenue Commissioners chairperson Josephine Feehily.

Public attitudes to the Garda Síochána

The Garda Public Attitudes Survey 2008 found that 81% of respondents were satisfied with the Gardaí, although 72% believed the service needed improvement. 91% agreed that their local Gardaí were approachable.

The survey also found that 8% of people believed a Garda has acted unacceptably towards them; this rate was highest in Dublin South Central at 14%, lowest in Mayo at 2%. The most common complaint was of Gardaí being disrespectful or impolite.

Garda Band

The Garda Band is a public relations branch of the Garda Síochána, and was formed shortly after the foundation of the force. It gave its first public performance on Dún Laoghaire Pier on Easter Monday, 1923. The first Bandmaster was Superintendent D.J. Delaney and he formed a céilí and pipe band within the Garda Band. In 1938, the Dublin Metropolitan Garda Band (based at Kevin Street) and the Garda Band amalgamated and were based at the Garda Headquarters in Phoenix Park.

The band was disbanded in 1965. However to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Garda Síochána it was reformed in 1972.

Besides providing music for official Garda functions (such as Graduation Ceremonies at the Garda College) the band undertakes a community orientated programme each year performing at schools, festivals and sporting events. It has a long association with Lansdowne Road for Rugby union and Soccer Internationals, as well as Croke Park and the G.A.A., the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin and the Rose of Tralee Festival.

In 1964 the band toured the United States and Canada under Superintendent J. Moloney.

External links

• Official website
• Garda Representative Association
• Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission
• Garda Headquarters, Phoenix Park, Dublin
• Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors
• Garda Síochána mission statement on community policing
• Morris Tribunal
• Garda Síochána Act 2005
• Garda Roll of Honour
• An Garda Síochána at the Wayback Machine (archived 7 December 1998)