If An Garda Síochána was a chain of hotels you'd shut it down, says former Ombudsman
A former Garda Ombudsman has said that the problems facing An Garda Síochána go far beyond its former Commissioner.
Conor Brady has warned that whoever takes over from Noirín O'Sullivan should not have as much "baggage" as she did.
He has also accused Gardaí of using their national security role as a "get out of jail card" to "tell people nothing".
Calling for a complete overhaul of the force, Mr Brady said: "At the moment, if it was a chain of hotels or an airline, you'd probably shut it down and start all over again.
"You can't really stand down a police force.
"I honestly think that we're at the stage now where something on the scale of what was done with Patten [Commission] in North is probably necessary.
"It's very clear that the problem isn't just a Commissioner."
Mr Brady last week resigned from the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, saying that there is a lack of political support for its work.
