Judge Smithwick: “I take a very, very strong view if he doesn’t [appear].”
The Irish government’s deadline target date for the Smithwick tribunal’s final report is unlikely to be met if former assistant Garda commissioners ignore the tribunal. From the RTÉ report
Senior Counsel for the tribunal, Mary Laverty, said she was at a loss to explain why Mr Carty had not turned up.
She said she was aware that he was working in Vienna, but the letters had been signed for with the same name and signature.
Judge Smithwick said he was “very disappointed” that a former Garda Assistant Commissioner had ignored correspondence from the tribunal.
Counsel for the Garda Commissioner said Mr Carty had retired from the force in June of last year and was working in Vienna for “various international policing operations”.
Judge Smithwick said it was very, very wrong for a former senior garda to treat the tribunal “with that sort of contempt”.
He said he would offer Mr Carty an opportunity to appear and give his evidence, warning “I take a very, very strong view if he doesn’t”.
It was, the judge said, a great discourtesy to “totally ignore a summons sent to him”.
Topic: Government, Politics, Society and Culture
Region: Ireland, Northern Ireland, UK
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Isn’t it long past time that we stopped disturbing the dead ?
How long are we going to keep on picking over the bones of ‘the troubles’ ?
It brings nothing but anguish and sorrow.
Their ‘war’ is over.
They lost.
Let’s leave the past where it is and move on.
Easy for me to say ?
Yes.
I didn’t lose anyone close in ‘the troubles’.
But in all honesty,is this really,really serving any purpose at all,except awaking bitter memories ?
Draw a line under the past.
We can’t change it.
Even the Gods can’t change it.
FFS don’t lay this burden onto the shoulders of our children.
( holey bejebus,I just had a John Hume moment there )
Imagine not turning up,the dirty,rotten son of a **** !!!
Interesting. I had dealings with that gentleman in a different job and was rather underwhelmed by his concept of public outreach.
The Republic should appoint Nuala O’Loan as their Ombudsman to clean up the Garda and their retired colleagues. Carty’s attitude is unacceptable and hopefully is not a sign of a malign culture within the police in the South.
It should be recorded that the Tribunal has now said that they had the wrong address for Carty, and that they expect him to show up next time, so it may not be entirely his fault that he did not turn up first time round.
Thanks for the update, Nicholas.