Commissioner pledges cooperation with legacy probes
Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly has pledged that An Garda Síochána will do “everything” possible to cooperate with investigations into unresolved atrocities on both sides of the Irish border, as families of victims continue their decades-long fight for truth, accountability and justice.
Speaking after meeting with the Policing and Community Safety Authority (PCSA) at Breifne College in Cavan, last week, the Celt asked Comm Kelly about the proposed Legacy of the Troubles legislation and the complex legal arrangements surrounding such historical investigations.
Commissioner Kelly insisted that An Garda Siochána was committed to assisting inquiries, both north and south of the border. However, he cautioned that such cooperation must take place within the boundaries of existing legislation, with appropriate legal arrangements and formal agreements in place.The Commissioner acknowledged that legacy cases present significant challenges and said An Garda Síochána relied on engagement with the Department of Justice and legal advice when determining how information and documentation can be shared.
His comments come amid renewed scrutiny of the State’s approach to the 1972 Belturbet bombing, which claimed the lives of teenagers Geraldine O’Reilly (15) and Patrick Stanley (16), and the Monaghan and Dublin Bombings of 1974. Carried out by the loyalist paramilitary group the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) the separate attacks killed 34 civilians, 32 in the original attack and two in the weeks following the Monaghan bombing. Almost 300 people were injured.
In September the Irish government’s approach to the General Scheme of the Legacy of the Troubles Bill 2026 was heavily scrutinised by Cavan-Monaghan Sinn Féin TD, Matt Carthy. The committee chair voiced concern over the proposed national security veto, government control of information disclosure, and an apparent lack of independence.
Comm Kelly did not offer a blanket commitment to the release of Garda documentation, but said that Gardaí continued to engage with various groups involved in legacy investigations.
“We want to do everything we can to cooperate with any investigation,” he stated.