Greg DalyThe involvement of Gardaí in political campaigns endangers the public respect the force has long had as an impartial keeper of the peace, Senator Ronan Mullen has said.
Describing himself as “alarmed” by photographs showing a uniformed Garda working from a pro same-sex marriage information stand at University College Cork (UCC), he called on the Minister for Justice to clarify the role of Gardaí in voter registration events, and said “the presence of a Garda at such a location clearly associates the force with one side in the referendum campaign”.
Symptom
“This incident is a symptom of a wider problem with the current referendum campaign,” he observed, arguing that there has been “no fairness or impartiality in the debate up to this point” but that “members of the Gardaí being involved in ‘Yes’ campaigning brings the problem of lack of balance in the debate to a whole new level.”
The UCC event followed after a uniformed Garda was directed by a senior officer to take part in a ‘Yes Equality’ photocall outside Pearse Street Garda Station. Gardaí have since said the photocall was “not appropriate” given their status “as an apolitical and impartial organisation”.
UCC constitutional law lecturer Dr Seán Ó Conaill agrees that “the Gardaí are agents of the state so cannot be seen to be biased on any side,” and says that “the fact that they’re helping people to be registered to vote is to be welcomed, but that they’re doing it at events organised by one side is worrying.”
“There wouldn’t be an issue with a Garda stand at an event organised by either side, provided that it was clearly separate and distinct,” he told The Irish Catholic, adding: “To any onlooker at either event it looked like the Gardaí were part of the ‘yes’ campaign.”
Security
Explaining that “the Gardaí are responsible for providing security at polling stations, and for transporting ballot boxes, and so any appearance of bias would be very worrying,” he said that in themselves the reported incidents are not major issues, but they left the Gardaí “open to accusations of bias”.
“The perception is wrong,” he said, asking: “Can you imagine the outrage if David Quinn had set up a stall with the Guards sitting at it to register voters?”