Rabbitte calls for Dáil debate on Morris findings

Labour Party Justice spokesman Pat Rabbitte has called for a full Dáil debate to be held on the findings of the Morris Tribunal.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio this morning the former leader of the Labour Party said that after six reports from the Tribunal the matter should be discussed at length in the Dail.

He also said that Garda promotions should be taken out the political domain and added that the Garda Commissioner should be given great powers to discipline members of the force.

Mr Rabbitte made his comments following last week’s publication of the sixth report of the Tribunal, which deals with the Garda investigation into the discovery of cattle-dealer Richie Barron's body on the roadway outside Raphoe, Co Donegal, in the early hours of Monday October 14th, 1996.

It also covered the subsequent arrest and detention of Frank McBrearty Jnr and others for the murder of Mr Barron.

The Morris report found that a number of people were unlawfully arrested and detained, and that some were mistreated in custody, mainly through verbal and in some cases, physical abuse.

Speaking on RTÉ's This Week programme, Mr Rabbitte spoke of both his and the public’s deep concern over what was contained in the latest report.

“I don’t think that there could be anything more serious than ordinary citizens being framed for a murder when there was no murder in the first place,” he said.

“The least we own Mr Justice Morris is that politicians tease through his findings and his conclusions in great details,” he said, adding that it should not just be passed over to the Dail’s Justice committee.

“All deputies on all sides of the house ought to be given the opportunity to contribute on this because there have been disturbing allegations.”  

Mr Rabbitte said that most law-abiding citizens are “outraged and dumbfounded” by the fact that members of the gardai who were criticised for engaging in unlawful behaviour, are still serving in the force.

He also said the fact the report slipped out the same day as the election of Brian Cowan as Taoiseach was an act of “supreme cynicism.”

“I am very surprised that the new Taoiseach who seems to be so on song, permitted this cynical releasing of these reports on the day of his own election when he knew it would be buried in the wider print media,” he said.

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