Vice-chair of the Public Accounts Committee Alan Kelly has once again described the garda commissioner’s position as ‘untenable’ following the publication of the PAC’s report into financial issues at the Templemore Garda Training College.
Yesterday’s report was especially critical of the manner in which the issue was handled by Garda Commissioner Noirin O’Sullivan and senior garda management.
The report expressed concern about Commissioner O’Sullivan’s delay in informing the Department of Justice about financial problems once she had been made aware of them.
Mr. Kelly told Tipperary Mid West Radio that in his view the controversy shows that the Department of Justice is ‘not functioning properly either’, as he doesn’t find it credible that the department had no idea about what was going on at the Templemore facility.
He said that if reports that the Garda Commissioner is on five weeks’ holidays, it would be a ‘very strange’ decision on her part.
The report will be examined by the policing authority next, but Deputy Kelly said that should not stop the government from acting now.
