Gardaí need ‘clear direction’ from Drew Harris over how to handle far-right protesters, says incoming GRA president

Gardaí need “clear direction” from Commissioner Drew Harris on how to handle far-right protesters outside asylum-seekers’ accommodation as well as politicians’ homes, according to the incoming president of the Garda Representative Association (GRA).

“We need a clear, unequivocal direction from Drew Harris, as well as training, on how to handle a situation like what arose recently outside Minister Roderic O’Gorman’s home,” Mark O’Meara told the Sunday Independent.

On April 18, a gang of up to 12 masked men gathered outside Mr O’Gorman’s home with placards and banners stretched across his driveway gate, along his wall and fastened to outside poles.

Drew Harris said in the aftermath of the protest that the use of posters outside homes could constitute harassment, as he sought to remind gardaí of their powers.

In an internal guidance note issued, Mr Harris also said the wearing of balaclavas in particular has “potentially sinister overtures in Ireland”.

The protest was condemned by the Taoiseach and opposition TDs. Justice Minister Helen McEntee described it as “vile and repulsive”. No arrests were made.

Mr O’Meara, based in the Garda College, was elected GRA president at the union’s annual conference in Mayo last week.

He said he would now try to engage with the commissioner directly on how to handle far-right protests, which are on the increase.​

The commissioner was not invited to last week’s GRA conference in Westport, becoming the first sitting commissioner to not be invited. Helen McEntee then declined an invitation as she believed it would be inappropriate for her to attend in the absence of Mr Harris.

Mr O’Meara said it was a “missed opportunity” for the Justice Minster and added that the GRA would continue to engage with her and Mr Harris over a range of issues that impact rank and file gardaí.

He said one “major issue” for garda members right now was how discipline was being handled by garda management.

He said there was an “image of corruption” within the force, propagated by the far right that was being spread through misinformation.

“In reality, there are only a small number of gardaí who themselves break the law and the GRA fully supports that these officers be rooted out,” he added.

Asked about the case of a midlands-based detective garda suspended for over three years after he gave an unwanted bicycle to an elderly local man who needed it for exercise and transport during the pandemic, Mr O’Meara said: “That was a very over-zealous investigation. It did not warrant the suspension of our colleague. We don’t have answers, still, about what happened in that investigation.”

The “bikegate” case was investigated by specialist officers attached to the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NBCI).

The garda was later cleared over the alleged theft of the bicycle and was fully reinstated — almost four years after the controversy began.

The newly-elected GRA president said another issue the association plans to raise with Mr Harris is increasing driver training programmes for all members of the force from basic to more advanced.

At present, gardaí are not protected from reprimand and even prosecution if they break driving laws, he said.

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