LAST UPDATE | 25 Apr 2023
THE GARDA COMMISSIONER has said he will meet the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to discuss the acquittal of Gerard Hutch but has warned all organised criminals “my gang is bigger than their gang”.
Drew Harris spoke to reporters as he arrived at the Garda Representative Association (GRA) annual conference in Westport this morning.
Last week, Gerard ‘The Monk’ Hutch was acquitted of charges that he was involved in the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in February, 2016.
Harris said that he felt the verdict was a setback but that he and the garda organisation were committed to making the State a difficult place for organised crime to operate.
“Well, it is a set back in terms of taking a case to court and you don’t get a conviction, one feels that is a set back but at the same time we are on a long route march here in terms of these crime groups and bringing these individuals to justice for serious charges.
Yes there will be set backs but the prize is that we actually breakdown these organised crime groups – we are determined to do that. The prize is that we are making Ireland a hard place for organised crime groups to work.
“That is what I am determined to do and if I might say these gangs have some notoriety but my gang is bigger than their gang and we’ll keep working away at this,” he added.
The Commissioner added that investigations into the Hutch Organised Crime Group are continuing and he will meet with the DPP, Catherine Pierse, to discuss the case.
In all indictable garda prosecutions the gardaí prepare an investigation file with recommendations attached in a report. It is then sent to the DPP for consideration of whether the State will prosecute or not.
“The DPP decides on what charges, our recommendations with the DPP is a matter between ourselves and the DPP.
“I won’t comment on the recommendations made to the DPP. I hope to meet with the DPP shortly to discuss the matter further, but at the same time the investigation into the Hutch Organised Crime Group carries on,” he added.
Yesterday, gardaí announced that they were investigating an incident in which a Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) investigator is alleged to have attended a party to celebrate the acquittal of Gerard Hutch.
Harris said he has placed a team of experienced investigators to examine the issue and said he has confidence in GSOC to continue investigating gardaí.
“I have been in contact obviously with the commissioners of GSOC. They are working closely with us on this and they are very anxious to proceed with our work as quickly as possible and we have undertaken to do that.
“We have appointed the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation to look at this matter and they are now examining the records within GSOC, the circumstances of this to see if there is any potential criminality,” he added.
Heckled
Meanwhile, the Commissioner was jeered and heckled by delegates when, in his speech to conference, said that he cannot be the only one making compromises on the roster dispute.
Operational gardaí are currently engaged in an industrial relations row with Harris about new working hours.
Brendan O’Connor, President of the GRA commenting on the incident said that there is a lot of anger and frustration among rank and file guards as the dispute rumbles on.
“The atmosphere in the room was indicative of the feeling the commissioner lacked a bit of sensitivity to the strength of feeling on the issue. It is about members and their work life balance and how it impacts their families. Policing is a difficult career.
“It does impact on families. Loved ones are going out of the house at Christmas at the weekends when everyone if off and the guards are going to work – just thought it was a bit insensitive that it has been referred to in a flippant manner.
“We are the people who have made the compromise. We won conditions of employment for our members and they’re simply not going to be given up,” he added.
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