New Garda ombudsman unit opens investigations into alleged abuse by officers

Fiosrú, established in November, has to date opened 12 investigations in which a garda is accused of being the alleged perpetrator. Of these, eight cases arise from public complaints, while four were referred internally by An Garda Síochána.

The unit is also examining 23 separate cases in which gardaí are alleged to have failed to properly respond to reports of domestic or sexual abuse.

The creation of the specialist services unit within Fiosrú follows heightened scrutiny of policing responses to such allegations, including the guilty plea entered last year by Garda Trevor Bolger in relation to the 2012 assault of his then wife, Margaret Loftus.

The Irish Examiner spoke to three women whose complaints have been accepted for investigation by Fiosrú since its establishment. In one case, a woman said she had been arrested four times following complaints made against her by her husband, whom she alleges subjected her to coercive control.

One of those arrests occurred just days before she was informed by Fiosrú that her complaint regarding the handling of her allegations by gardaí had been deemed admissible.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik, who obtained the figures from the minister for justice, Jim O’Callaghan, said: “The figures revealed to me are concerningly high given that this new unit was set up just months ago, and its functions had not been extensively advertised.

“I pay tribute to Margaret Loftus for raising awareness of the manner in which the institution of An Garda Síochána closed ranks in her case. Similarly, the work of Women’s Aid in publishing annual reports on victims’ satisfaction with garda responses to their complaints is to be commended.”

Ms Bacik said there should be greater visibility around the unit’s activities, adding that its work ought to be more widely publicised and subject to regular reporting by An Garda Síochána.