Protesters seek apology from Minister in row over footage claim in strip-search allegation review
PRO-PALESTINE CAMPAIGN group Mothers Against Genocide have called on Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan to issue a public apology for 'spreading misinformation' about an internal gardaí inquiry into allegations of strip-searching of protesters.
The demand follows a
letter from Commissioner Drew Harris to Ceann Comhairle
Verona Murphy last week in which he said there are 'no recording devices in cells when prisoners are being searched'.
Mothers Against Genocide held a sit down demonstration blocking the gates of the Dáil's entrance on 1 April and 11 people were arrested on public order offences.
Subsequently, a number of TDs from People Before Profit told the Dáil that they had been informed that a number of the women involved had been strip-searched.
Speaking a number of weeks later,
Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan stated
that he had asked that footage of the incident be examined and that following a garda review it was determined that the allegations were 'false'.
O'Callaghan therefore urged politicians to be cautious when making claims under Dáil privilege.
In his letter to the Ceann Comhairle, Harris reiterated that a 'comprehensive review' of the allegations had taken place and that all gardaí involved in the searches 'acted at all times professionally, lawfully, and in accordance with established procedures and legislative provision'.
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He said the protest and the arrests were recorded by garda bodycams.
There were also recordings reviewed from the garda stations involved, which Harris said 'show nothing that would substantiate any allegations of wrongdoing'.
He added: 'There are no recording devices in cells when prisoners are being searched for obvious requirements for dignity and privacy.'
Harris's statement about a lack of footage in cells where searches take place has prompted Mothers Against Genocide to accuse the Justice Minister of attempting to 'discredit' the group.
In a statement today, Mothers Against Genocide called this 'a grave matter of public interest and trust.'
'We expect the Minister for Justice to issue a public apology for spreading misinformation and for interfering with due process by repeating false statements and defending Garda conduct before investigations had even begun,' the group said.
'Many of those arrested have submitted subject access requests to the Gardaí seeking all footage and information held on them. To date, none of this information has been received.'
Paul Murphy TD said yesterday that O'Callaghan did not disclose the 'crucial information' that there was no footage of what happened within the cells.
'The Minister gave the clear impression that footage had 'revealed' that our claims on strip and cavity searches were false,' Murphy said.
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