Labour demands answers on undisclosed Garda Commissioner €1m Accommodation Package
Labour demands answers on undisclosed Garda Commissioner €1m Accommodation Package - The Labour Party
Labour’s Alan Kelly TD and Eoghan Kenny TD have today called for urgent clarity and full disclosure after it emerged that approximately €1 million in public money was spent on accommodation, refurbishment and security for the former Garda Commissioner, without proper declaration or transparency.
Speaking following Dail questions with the Minister for Justice Deputy Kelly said the Government must immediately account for how this arrangement was established, why it was withheld for seven years, and why the Minister for Justice was not informed.
Deputy Kelly said:
“Public money was used to cover a rent free home for the former Garda Commissioner in the Phoenix Park, including €230,000 on security and maintenance and a further €400,000 on refurbishments. On top of that, the rent for the property, approximately €21,000 a year, was covered by An Garda Siochana. This rent was never indexed and the taxpayer lost out while the Commissioner lived in a property that could have commanded multiples of that figure.
“It is shocking that multiple Ministers, the Department of Justice and An Garda Siochana kept this quiet for seven years. Only for the persistent questioning from myself and my colleague Eoghan Kenny, we would still be in the dark about this arrangement and its full cost to the public purse.
“Ordinary Garda members are outraged. They cannot afford rent, they cannot afford to live where they work, they are sleeping in cars between shifts and many are commuting long distances or leaving the force because they simply cannot make ends meet. I have spoken to them. To see such a package handed to the most senior Garda without transparency is unacceptable.
“Serious questions remain. Were there other costs that have still not been disclosed. Why was a house leased from the OPW before the recruitment process even began. Was the selection process in 2018 genuinely fair if the accommodation deal was not advertised publicly as part of the package.
“The Minister must get control of the policing section of his own department. He says he was not aware of this deal. How is that credible. Why did officials not inform him. I have repeatedly received apologies from him for incomplete or narrow answers. TDs cannot be left worrying that parliamentary questions will receive evasive replies. He must answer questions fully and candidly because he is accountable to the Dail. No Minister can continue in office if a pattern of partial disclosure continues.”
Deputy Kenny said:
“At the Public Accounts Committee the OPW confirmed to me that the property in the Phoenix Park was leased to An Garda Siochana from 2017 to 2025. This contradicts the official reply my colleague Alan Kelly received in a parliamentary question. The facts are now clear. An Garda Siochana leased a property from the OPW before the competition for the Commissioner had even commenced.
“This raises serious concerns. Why did they want this house before the process. Did senior management already know the post would not go to a serving member. Why was this never declared publicly. The Minister must now clarify the exact chain of communication. He must publish all correspondence between An Garda Siochana and the OPW to establish the precise date the property was sought and when the lease was signed.
“The public must have confidence that senior appointments are transparent and that no hidden perks are attached to one of the most senior policing roles in the State. We need full publication of all documentation and an immediate explanation from the Minister. This must be released without delay so that trust in the recruitment process and in the stewardship of public funds can be restored.”