Councillors agree to pursue motion of no confidence in Garda chief

Local councillors plan to submit a motion of no confidence in Garda Commissioner Drew Harris at the next sitting of the Westmeath Joint Policing Committee (JPC.)

Speaking at a recent meeting of the Athlone-Moate Municipal District of Westmeath County Council, Cllr Aengus O'Rourke raised the issue seeking his colleagues' support for a vote of no confidence in the Garda Commissioner.

He said: “We're all very aware of, if you like, the dismantling of Athlone Barracks bit by bit in recent years.”

The Fianna Fáil councillor added that garda numbers were “on the floor along with morale.”

“At times we only have two gardai working in the station. Talking to Gardai, they reckon that we are short of 16 to 18 guards to make things work properly.” He also said that the local CCTV system is 16 years old and well past its sell by date.

Cllr O'Rourke highlighted that figures on crimes across all areas such as burglaries, assault, shoplifting drug activity and car theft were “all going in the wrong direction.”

“The horrific high volume of deaths on our roads is also something that's a huge concern to everybody. I travel the roads constantly and I rarely ever see any meaningful garda enforcement.”

Cllr O'Rourke also cited the treatment of a local Garda by Drew Harris as “scandalous.” The garda lended an old bicycle to an elderly man who needed the bike for exercise during the Covid pandemic. “In my mind and in the minds of most right thinking Irish people, what he did was a simple act of compassion, the right thing to do and a good deed,” said Cllr O'Rourke.

Unfortunately, the Garda failed to complete a form that was required. “For that minor failing, garda management in Drew Harris' name launched a major inquiry," which Cllr O'Rourke said was "a four-year witch hunt."

He added that the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation arrived at the garda's home at six o'clock in the morning taking the family's phones and devices and turning their lives upside down.

Cllr O'Rourke said that the real measure of Mr Harris came on the day that the aforementioned garda was reinstated to full duties in Athlone Garda Barracks which took place just a week or two after a public accounts committee hearing.

“Drew Harris, when asked was the four year prosecution of this man disproportionate, he said no, because not all of the facts are in the public domain. Now these remarks themselves fly in the face of the disciplinary board's findings, which found that there was no wrongdoing whatsoever,” stated the local councillor.

Cllr O'Rourke concluded: “This man's tenure in my estimation, has been an abject failure right across the board and I've set out today all my reasons for putting this motion forward. I think it's time for the man to go.”

Cllr Paul Hogan supported the motion and said that the council had sent numerous pieces of correspondence to the Garda Commissioner inviting him to meet and discuss his rationale for implementing an operating model that has no support locally.

Cllr Hogan stated: “At this stage we have no day-to-day superintendent management operating. We have a skeleton personnel covering a huge area. There are nights where in Athlone we have two guards serving and those nights coincide with the busiest nights of socialising in the college.”

He added that locals don't feel safe as they're not seeing gardai out on the streets.

The Independent councillor highlighted that at a previous JPC meeting, the council requested for two gardai to patrol the streets in Athlone for an hour everyday. “ I haven't seen it. I'm not sure if any other member have seen it. I'm not sure if other members of the district have seen anything and I think it's a serious indictment and here we are now debating a motion of no confidence.”

Cllr Hogan also mentioned that many members of An Garda Siochana have already voted for a motion of no confidence in Mr Harris.

Cllr Frankie Keena said that policing was a major issue in the town and that Minister for Justice Helen McEntee also had to be held accountable. He suggested that perhaps a motion of no confidence should also be tabled on Minister McEntee.

Cllr Liam McDaniel said that there was a serious problem with the whole justice system nationwide and emphasised this with the example of the riots in Dublin last year.

He said that two individuals were in court recently in relation to this and remanded on bail and that the judge revealed that a solicitor for one of the individuals requested to get their passport back to go on a two-week holiday.”

The Fianna Fáíl councillor stated: ”We have a bigger issue in this country if that's the kind of justice that we're dealing with, there's a major issue and it needs to be addressed.”

Mayor of the district Cllr Louise Heavin added that there was a major issue with the judicial review process and that broader reform was needed.

However, the Green Party councillor didn't agree that there should be a motion of no confidence in Minister McEntee. “I think that would be premature at this point.”

A vote was held to determine whether to amend the motion to also seek a motion of no confidence in Minister McEntee which two councillors supported and seven were against.

The council gave the following response to the motion raised by Cllr O'Rourke: “It is considered that the leadership of An Garda Siochana is a matter for Government.The council works with local Garda Management across the Division and District on an ongoing basis in a positive way and acknowledges the work done to keep our communities safe and to investigate and prosecute crime.”