Sir, – Heartiest congratulations to Nóirín O’Sullivan, the new Garda Commissioner.
It is tempting to view her appointment as a ho-hum, nothing to see here, Irish non-solution to very serious problems in An Garda Síochána. Especially since, during her interim appointment, the penalty points scandal motored on apace, even as she ordered that it be halted.
However, as a veteran police officer, Ms O’Sullivan knows what reforms are needed and knows how to implement them.
Her comment that there will be a culture of transparency in the police force is hardly reassuring.
This kind of blah might have been acceptable in the days where An Garda Síochána was the personal fiefdom of the commissioner. No longer.
Many of us have read the Garda Inspectorate report. We know how and where the force is broken. We know the reforms needed to fix it. We do not want the Commissioner to tell us that under her guidance all will be well.
That worked when we were hand-wringing obsequious, peasants. No more.
We want the reforms outlined in the Garda Inspectorate report to be implemented, starting now. We want progress reports. We want gardaí who refuse to implement the instructions of the Commissioner to be fired, without a golden hand shake.
This is not rocket science. This is policing 101. And it’s long overdue. – Yours, etc, PATRICIA R MOYNIHAN, Castaheany, Co Dublin.