New Commissioner must support Gardaí and build its membership - Alan Kelly

Tipperary TD AND Labour’s Justice Spokesperson, Alan Kelly, has called on newly appointed Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly to 'hit the ground running and deliver real reform' across An Garda Síochána.

His appointment, announced on Tuesday, comes at a time of crisis for the force, with serious failures in recruitment, equipment safety, and morale amongst the force, Deputy Kelly said.

“The new Commissioner steps into the role at a time when members' trust in An Garda Síochána management is at the lowest point it’s ever been.

“Morale within the force is on the floor. There’s a recruitment and retention crisis that has been left to fester for far too long”, Depuity Kelly said.

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“Our Gardaí do some of the most difficult work in the country, and they deserve proper support, proper resources, and proper leadership. The outgoing commissioner failed miserably on all these issues so much so that the GRA voted no confidence in him in massive numbers.

“We cannot afford a continuation of the failures that marked the previous tenure. From dangerously defective holsters, to abandoned firearms in Garda HQ, to drugs discovered in disused lockers — these are serious breaches of basic standards. They represent a complete breakdown in management and trust in management of the force.

“This appointment must mark a turning point. The public, and Gardaí themselves, need reassurance that Commissioner Kelly is prepared to take a hard look at the force’s needs and put safety, accountability, and professionalism back at the centre. He needs to fight for resources and defend his members.

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“We need full transparency on legacy issues that I’ve brought into the public domain with others and I will pursue these fully. The outgoing commissioner failed to deal with these. Why? They will have to be dealt with by the new commissioner.

“We need proper investment in basic Garda infrastructure and equipment, and a recruitment strategy that gets boots on the ground. We need leadership that listens to rank-and-file Gardaí and restores trust with the members and the public.

“The appointment must mark a turning point. The new Commissioner needs to deal with the failings of the previous commissioner, that the Minister for Justice accepted and endorsed through his temporary reappointment. We need action from day one.”