Republican News · Thursday 22 November 2001

SF TD backs public inquiry into Donegal gardai

In the Dáil on Wednesday, Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin backed a motion calling for a public inquiry into the conduct of the Gardaí in County Donegal.

The motion, which was backed by all parties except Fianna Fáil and the PDs, arises out of the attempted Garda frame-up of Frank McBrearty for the murder of Richie Barron, the harassment of the McBrearty family over a period of years, the staged 'finds' of bogus arms dumps by Garda detectives in County Donegal and related issues. Despite public concern over these events since the death of Richie Barron in October 1996 public inquiry calls were ignored by the government and the internal inquiry by Assistant Garda Commissioner Kevin Carty was widely discredited.

A request was made by Gardaí for the exhumation of Richie Barron's body in October 1997 but this was put on hold by the minister when a member of the force so requested some days later. The exhumation did not take place until this year and showed that Barron had been struck by a car.

Backing the inquiry call, Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin said:

"This extraordinary case shows that Gardaí were acting with total impunity in County Donegal. They used the draconian powers available to them under the Offences Against the State Act for nefarious purposes and nobody held them accountable. This case shows the need for the reform of the Gardaí, with a totally independent complaints procedure, the ending of the dominance of the Special Branch and the repeal of the Offences Against the State Act."