‘Jury out’ on police chief’s record

After a career spanning 32 years, Sir Ronnie Flanagan left the PSNI to take up a new role with Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in England.

But the run-up to his departure was marred by a bitter dispute with Nuala O’Loan, the police ombudsman, over the Omagh bomb investigation. She accused Sir Ronnie and his officers of being guilty of defective leadership and poor judgment, while he accused her of conducting a less than rigorous investigation.

In an attempt to put the row behind him, the outgoing Chief Constable said: " We have had a lot of very real difficulties in recent times, but that’s not new in this part of the world. If in that sense my going means some of the problems brought about by those difficulties go with me, then all for the good."

Politicians were split about the success of Sir Ronnie’s contribution to public life.

Alex Attwood, an SDLP assembly member, said that Sir Ronnie did a reasonable job of managing the transition from the RUC to the PSNI, but criticised his handling of the Omagh investigation.

He said: "I think the controversy in the last few months over the handling of the Omagh bomb investigation and his row with the ombudsman has tainted his record, but the jury is still out on his term in office as far as history is concerned."

But Fred Cobain, the Ulster Unionist member of the police board, praised the way he steered the police through a period of radical change.

"He has made a significant contribution to policing over the past 30 years - particularly the last five and a half years as Chief Constable. I have no doubt he will be sorely missed."

And Gerry Adams, the Sinn Fein leader, said: "I try not to be begrudging in any of this. Ronnie Flanagan, like some of the rest of us, has survived 30 years. He knows a lot of secrets. He has been a key to the repressive arm of the state for a long time. He is out of it. Good luck."

Earlier this week, Sir Ronnie admitted to having mixed feelings about leaving the PSNI.

"Obviously you don’t give 32 years of your life to a job and walk away from it without some feelings of poignancy," he said. "But, having said that, I’m looking forward to a new job."

Sir Ronnie will be leaving just days before the first batch of recruits to the new police service graduate.

He will be the guest speaker at the graduation ceremony on Friday, while Acting Chief Constable Colin Cramphorn will be the principal reviewing officer.

Sir Ronnie’s departure coincides with a fresh call from Sinn Fein for the Irish government to bring forward formal proposals for a united Ireland.

In an address to a rally in Dublin commemorating the 86th anniversary of the Easter Rising, Gerry Adams said that, while there had been a focus on British resistance to a united Ireland, the reluctance of the political establishment in the Irish Republic to pursue it should also be examined.

He told one of the largest republican commemorations: "Four score years have passed since a government was established in Dublin, and it is incredible that in all of this time we have not even had a discussion green paper on the subject, never mind a policy white paper come out of Leinster House (the Irish Parliament).

"Irish unity must cease to be an abstraction and become a concrete proposition. Here, today, I am formally calling on all of the parties to embark on a process of drawing up a green paper on Irish unity, in consultation with all interested parties and groups."

Sinn Fein also extended an invitation to David Trimble, the Ulster Unionist leader, to address a joint session of both houses of the Irish parliament.

Caoimhghmn O Caolain, Sinn Fein’s sole member of the Dail, said his community welcomed Mr Trimble’s recent call at his party’s ruling council for a referendum next year in Northern Ireland on whether the union with Britain should be broken.