Republican News · Thursday 6 March 2003

Patten reforms should be introduced in 26 Counties

Speaking this week at a one-day seminar entitled A Human Rights Approach to Policing, organised by the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, Sinn Féin's spokesperson on Justice, Aengus Ó Snodaigh, said the Patten proposals for policing in the Six Counties "should be introduced into the 26 Counties".

He said that this should be "the minimum threshold for police reform in this state" which should have "human rights at its core".

He made his calls as the Morris Tribunal into allegations of Garda corruption in Donegal was hearing evidence from a garda's wife that her husband, Detective Garda Noel McMahon, who she said was part of a conspiracy to plant hoax 'IRA' explosive finds, had threatened her with a gun. Superintendent Tom Long tod the tribunal that Ms McMahon said she had seen her husband, Superintendent Kevin Lennon, and informant Adrienne McGlinchey mixing explosives in the grounds of the family home.

Speaking at the seminar, Aengus Ó Snodaigh said: "Recent controversies surrounding the activities of Gardaí the length and breadth of this state show that there is an urgent need for Garda reform. There is a deficit in openness and accountability that must be addressed.

"Too often we still hear of a police 'force' when we should be talking about a police 'service'. This is crucial if we are to restore public confidence in policing, which has been severely damaged over the last number of years. We need human rights to be at the core of any new service and we need the Gardaí to be accountable to the public.

"We would specifically endorse the ideas of a completely independent police ombudsman to investigate complaints of malpractice, human rights training as a requirement for all Gardai, and the establishment of community policing boards to ensure accountability and transparency and effective deployment of resources.

"We would call on the Minister for Justice and the Garda representatives to approach this seminar in a spirit of openness with a view to initiating the reforms that are needed in this outdated and unaccountable institution."