Evidence in Limerick garda trial ‘bloody well stinks’ - TD tells minister for justice

SOME of the evidence in the Limerick garda trial “bloody well stinks”, an impassioned Deputy Alan Kelly told Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan.

The Labour TD questioned the minister during an Oireachtas committee meeting on the  Revised Estimates for Public Services 2026.

Mr Kelly raised the case of retired Superintendent Eamon O’Neill, Sergeant Michelle Leahy, Garda Anne Marie Hassett, Garda Tom McGlinchey and Garda Colm Geary, who were found not guilty on all 39 charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice over Fixed Charge Penalty Notices relating to road traffic offences. 

They included allegations of  “squaring away” penalties for offences including speeding, holding a mobile phone while driving, having no insurance and not wearing a seatbelt.

It followed a nine-week jury trial in Limerick Circuit Criminal Court which was expected to conclude before Christmas but  continued until the end of January.

READ NEXT: Limerick garda trial’s gripping and emotional conclusion inside and outside the courtroom

Mr Kelly asked Justice Minister Mr O’Callaghan at an Oireachtas committee meeting    if he had a concern in relation to legal costs that “are coming down the road in relation to An Garda Siochana settling civil cases because there seems to be an avalanche of them”.

The minister for justice replied that he doesn’t have a concern.

Mr Kelly said Taoiseach Micheal Martin agreed with Mr O’Callaghan’s Fianna Fail party colleague, Deputy Cathal Crowe, that there should be an inquiry into the Limerick garda trial. 

“I've heard your standard response since that, no, there wouldn't be any inquiry. I’m wondering who pulls rank here - the Taoiseach of Ireland or yourself because it’s two totally different views,” commented Mr Kelly (pictured below).

Mr O’Callaghan said there was a full criminal investigation. 

“There was a prosecution that took place, that went on for a lengthy period of time, and the four current gardai and retired superintendent were acquitted. They’re not guilty.  That was their vindication. When people are prosecuted for offences and they’re acquitted, they don’t have a remedy,” said Mr O’Callaghan.

Mr Kelly said he has spoken to gardai in the Mid-West, gone through the case and he believes some of the evidence in the case “stinks”. 

“It bloody well stinks, and if there's not going to be an inquiry by you soon, there will be an inquiry some day because the dollar bills are running up. 

“This is going to cost us in excess of 25 million I’d say - all the legal costs in relation to the trial, the pre-trial, the investigation over  seven years - all the pay in relation to all of these people, other guards who were suspended who have been allowed back, the loss of garda time, a huge amount of garda resources being wasted - when you tot all of that up, this is a huge figure,” said Mr Kelly, who asked “why in the name of God was Limerick picked on?” 

The former leader of the Labour party said if there is no inquiry into “how we got to this point then we’re going to continue hitting the taxpayer”. 

He added: “We’re going to have continuous loss of garda time. We’re going to have a continuous collapse in morale. The amount of detections dropped in the Mid-West by 25%. 

“How many people who should have been off the road weren’t off the road. How many criminals, who should have been behind bars, were not behind bars? How many cases did not go ahead because of this? 

“I don't want a big, fantangled inquiry. I just want you to consider appointing somebody to look at what happened here,” said Mr Kelly.

Mr O’Callaghan said colleagues within Fianna Fail and across the Dail have raised this issue with him and, like Mr Kelly, are concerned by it.

“We need to reflect upon the fact that there was an investigation and then it went to the DPP. The DPP made a decision to prosecute and the five people were acquitted, found not guilty. 

“It is the case - and you may think this is unfair - but a considerable number of people are prosecuted for offences of which they're subsequently acquitted.

 “It can have devastating consequences on their lives, but I’m not aware of many cases where somebody gets an entitlement to damages because they were prosecuted and they’re subsequently acquitted,” said Mr O’Callaghan (pictured below).

“You’re going to have to damn well stand over that because this isn’t over,” replied Mr Kelly. 

“There's more layers to this, and I'm telling you this is going to have to be looked at, at some stage. I believe you will have to consider this if you want to maintain morale and if you want to maintain standards.

“What happened here stinks. It should never have happened and why it happened in the Mid-West and Limerick really needs to be looked into.”

Mr Kelly said the gardai’s lives were “destroyed”. 

“I’ve met them. They cried in front of me. I've met them for hours and hours and hours. I know a lot of details in this. They have been bloody well destroyed. The force there has been destroyed. Detection rates have been destroyed. Judges have given out that guards couldn’t turn up in court. In any other jurisdiction surely this will be looked at,” said Mr Kelly.

Mr O’Callaghan said: “At present, I don't have evidence that would justify me going to government and say, we need a commission of inquiry. 

“Any minister who does that would have to have evidence presented to him which indicated there was prima facie wrongdoing. I don’t have that.”

Mr Kelly concluded by saying: “I suggest you have a discussion with your department and with the Garda Commissioner (Justin Kelly).”