Comments on: Terrence Wheelock

By: Gerard Cunningham

Gerard Cunningham — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:47:32 +0000

The combination of policing and intelligence/security with An Garda Siochana is one of the major problems in the force. Most of the problems in Donegal, for example, can all be traced back to the tendency to get confused between intelligence gathering and policing. The messes (not just the McBreartys, but the other cases too) could pretty much have been avoided if the Gardai hadn’t confused intelligence (ie rumour and unsubstantiated claims) with evidence.
It’s worth reading the Canadian experience on this. They realised about 30 years ago that they needed to separate intelligence gathering from the RCMP’s policing function. The royal commission reports on the issue are still worthwhile reading in laying out the problems that arise. Patton did the same thing in his report on the RUC, though it got lost in the noise there because of other issues.
None of that will help Trevor Wheelock’s family though.

By: Vicky Conway

Vicky Conway — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:10:14 +0000

It is really shocking that the Guards are protected this way. Presumably the government response is that the Guards are unique in having security within the police force, and not in a seperate body. I am beginning to wonder if there is any benefit to that situation – with every effort to make the Guards more accountable it rears its head.

By: Mark Coughlan

Mark Coughlan — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:40:10 +0000

Sigh. I know.

By: Gerard Cunningham

Gerard Cunningham — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:39:08 +0000

They won’t get an full public inquiry. There’ll be a lot of moaning about the cost of lawyers, and no one wants another Morris. At best, they’ll get a quasi-inquiry like the one into Dean Lyons. And I doubt they’ll get even that. there’s no demand for one. Or have you seen any opposition pressure on this?