MIXED FEELINGS AS O'LOAN DEPARTS
Mixed feelings as O'Loan departs
Nuala O'Loan's seven-year tenure as Police Ombudsman ended yesterday as she welcomed replacement Al Hutchinson. Her time in office was marked by the Omagh Bomb report and Operation Ballast - the McCord investigation which highlighted UVF-Special Branch collusion.
Political Editor Stephen Dempster reports
NUALA O'Loan yesterday admitted the criticism levelled at her and her family during her time as Police Ombudsman had caused her distress and almost led her to quit the post.
Even as she cleared her desk to make way for successor Al Hutchinson there were those who said "good riddance" and claimed she had arrogantly refused to admit that "at times she got things wrong".
Yet she insisted that despite the ups and downs she was now leaving the Ombudsman's Office with a heavy heart and would have preferred to work on but for the fact that there was a seven year limit on holding the job.
Mrs O'Loan agreed the posting had been difficult at times, particularly after former RUC Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan and others criticised her Omagh probe - and when her family and events such as a bust-up in a coffee shop with Ian Paisley Jnr were spotlighted.
"I am a human being and I have been affected by things like the attacks on my children," she said.
"I was distressed by Sir Ronnie's response to the Omagh report.
"But a job has to be done and you don't desist from doing a job because people are trying to divert you from the job by attacking you personally or attacking your family
"Although it's been tough, I am hugely glad I had the opportunity."
But others said Mrs O'Loan spent too long worrying about the past - which was the remit of the Historical Enquiries Team - and pursued a witch-hunt of. the RUC
and Special Branch.
A spokesperson for the Police Federation representing current and former officers said: "Mrs O'Loan has never been able to accept that at times she got things wrong.
"She gradually lost the confidence of the serving and retired officers during her tenure in office."
She defended her reputation among police officers and maintained that her work had been evidence-based.
The Police Federation said it hoped the new Ombudsman, Canadian Al Hutchinson, the former police oversight commissioner for Northern Ireland, would be supported across the community and by the PSNI itself.
The watchdog was appointed as part of the shake-up of the police force recommended by the 1999 report by Lord Patten.
Mrs O'Loan started work in summer 2000 and has maintained a high profile.
In one recent report she said police had colluded with UVF members in north Belfast to protect them while they carried out murders, beatings and dealt in drugs.
It was the Ombudsman who launched a scathing report on the Royal Ulster Constabulary's handling of the Omagh inquiry.
The Real IRA was blamed for the massacre but Mrs O'Loan focused on a series of alleged failings by police.
She revealed that 11 days before the bombing an anonymous caller gave police details of a planned gun and rocket attack in Omagh.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan died in the Omagh blast, paid tribute to Mrs O'Loan's courage.
"She has had to pay an unacceptable price for the courage that she has shown and I think that when the final definitive history of the Troubles is written she will be one of the few who held high office who have come out of this with extreme credibility," he said.
"She is one of the few who were truthful and honest and courageous."
Ombudsman 'pursued a witch-hunt against the RUC
FEW tears will be shed over the departure of Nuala O'Loan, who "pursued a witch-hunt against the RUC and Special Branch", DUP MP Sammy Wilson said yesterday.
The former Policing Board member expressed the view that Mrs O'Loan would not be missed by the policing fraternity and unionism and even added an unsentimental "good riddance" to make his point.
Mrs O'Loan was never a popular choice as Ombudsman as she comes from a nationalist family and her husband is SDLP MLA Declan O'Loan.
This always left her open to allegations of bias, no matter what she did.
Mrs O'Loan, however, always claimed to be impartial and did publish many reports clearing officers of various allegations.
Mr Wilson said: "I - along with, I am sure, the majority of police officers in Northern Ireland - welcome the fact that Monday is her last day in office.
"For the last seven years she has pursued a political agenda and as a result has lost any confidence that she could have had within the police force.
"She has been intent on pursuing a witch-hunt against the police - and especially against the RUC and Special Branch."
He added: "I would urge the Government to use this opportunity to look again at allowing the Police Ombudsman to investigate the past - and recommend instead that, like the Human Rights Commission, the Police Ombudsman should focus on dealing with current issues that arise."
DUP MLA and ex-RUC officer Jimmy Spratt urged the new Ombudsman Al Hutchinson to take cognisance of the lack of confidence in the office among serving and former police officers.
While Mrs O'Loan was "offered pats on the back" he said the most basic fact was that many serving and retired police officers see the Ombudsman's office as "lacking impartiality".
But others wished Mrs O'Loan well and thanked her for her work in a difficult environment and often under extreme pressure.
Deputy First Martin McGuinness visited the Office of the Police Ombudsman as Mrs O'Loan prepared to leave yesterday.
He said: "Nuala O'Loan took up her position as Police Ombudsman at a challenging and difficult time.
"Nuala O'Loan has carried out her duties in a professional and diligent manner and I would thank her for the service."
The SDLP's Alex Attwood said: "Policing is where it is today because of brave people and strong leaders.
"Mrs O'Loan has been as brave and strong as any - there was no bigger job or harder task over the last seven years."
Alliance leader David Ford said: "She took on an extremely difficult task and did an excellent job.
"She shone a light into the darkest times of the Troubles and ensured that all sides were heard.
"Her investigations were seen as fair and impartial by the vast majority of police officers as well as complainants."
Nuala O'Loan's seven-year tenure as Police Ombudsman ended yesterday as she welcomed replacement Al Hutchinson. Her time in office was marked by the Omagh Bomb report and Operation Ballast - the McCord investigation which highlighted UVF-Special Branch collusion.
Political Editor Stephen Dempster reports
NUALA O'Loan yesterday admitted the criticism levelled at her and her family during her time as Police Ombudsman had caused her distress and almost led her to quit the post.
Even as she cleared her desk to make way for successor Al Hutchinson there were those who said "good riddance" and claimed she had arrogantly refused to admit that "at times she got things wrong".
Yet she insisted that despite the ups and downs she was now leaving the Ombudsman's Office with a heavy heart and would have preferred to work on but for the fact that there was a seven year limit on holding the job.
Mrs O'Loan agreed the posting had been difficult at times, particularly after former RUC Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan and others criticised her Omagh probe - and when her family and events such as a bust-up in a coffee shop with Ian Paisley Jnr were spotlighted.
"I am a human being and I have been affected by things like the attacks on my children," she said.
"I was distressed by Sir Ronnie's response to the Omagh report.
"But a job has to be done and you don't desist from doing a job because people are trying to divert you from the job by attacking you personally or attacking your family
"Although it's been tough, I am hugely glad I had the opportunity."
But others said Mrs O'Loan spent too long worrying about the past - which was the remit of the Historical Enquiries Team - and pursued a witch-hunt of. the RUC
and Special Branch.
A spokesperson for the Police Federation representing current and former officers said: "Mrs O'Loan has never been able to accept that at times she got things wrong.
"She gradually lost the confidence of the serving and retired officers during her tenure in office."
She defended her reputation among police officers and maintained that her work had been evidence-based.
The Police Federation said it hoped the new Ombudsman, Canadian Al Hutchinson, the former police oversight commissioner for Northern Ireland, would be supported across the community and by the PSNI itself.
The watchdog was appointed as part of the shake-up of the police force recommended by the 1999 report by Lord Patten.
Mrs O'Loan started work in summer 2000 and has maintained a high profile.
In one recent report she said police had colluded with UVF members in north Belfast to protect them while they carried out murders, beatings and dealt in drugs.
It was the Ombudsman who launched a scathing report on the Royal Ulster Constabulary's handling of the Omagh inquiry.
The Real IRA was blamed for the massacre but Mrs O'Loan focused on a series of alleged failings by police.
She revealed that 11 days before the bombing an anonymous caller gave police details of a planned gun and rocket attack in Omagh.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan died in the Omagh blast, paid tribute to Mrs O'Loan's courage.
"She has had to pay an unacceptable price for the courage that she has shown and I think that when the final definitive history of the Troubles is written she will be one of the few who held high office who have come out of this with extreme credibility," he said.
"She is one of the few who were truthful and honest and courageous."
Ombudsman 'pursued a witch-hunt against the RUC
FEW tears will be shed over the departure of Nuala O'Loan, who "pursued a witch-hunt against the RUC and Special Branch", DUP MP Sammy Wilson said yesterday.
The former Policing Board member expressed the view that Mrs O'Loan would not be missed by the policing fraternity and unionism and even added an unsentimental "good riddance" to make his point.
Mrs O'Loan was never a popular choice as Ombudsman as she comes from a nationalist family and her husband is SDLP MLA Declan O'Loan.
This always left her open to allegations of bias, no matter what she did.
Mrs O'Loan, however, always claimed to be impartial and did publish many reports clearing officers of various allegations.
Mr Wilson said: "I - along with, I am sure, the majority of police officers in Northern Ireland - welcome the fact that Monday is her last day in office.
"For the last seven years she has pursued a political agenda and as a result has lost any confidence that she could have had within the police force.
"She has been intent on pursuing a witch-hunt against the police - and especially against the RUC and Special Branch."
He added: "I would urge the Government to use this opportunity to look again at allowing the Police Ombudsman to investigate the past - and recommend instead that, like the Human Rights Commission, the Police Ombudsman should focus on dealing with current issues that arise."
DUP MLA and ex-RUC officer Jimmy Spratt urged the new Ombudsman Al Hutchinson to take cognisance of the lack of confidence in the office among serving and former police officers.
While Mrs O'Loan was "offered pats on the back" he said the most basic fact was that many serving and retired police officers see the Ombudsman's office as "lacking impartiality".
But others wished Mrs O'Loan well and thanked her for her work in a difficult environment and often under extreme pressure.
Deputy First Martin McGuinness visited the Office of the Police Ombudsman as Mrs O'Loan prepared to leave yesterday.
He said: "Nuala O'Loan took up her position as Police Ombudsman at a challenging and difficult time.
"Nuala O'Loan has carried out her duties in a professional and diligent manner and I would thank her for the service."
The SDLP's Alex Attwood said: "Policing is where it is today because of brave people and strong leaders.
"Mrs O'Loan has been as brave and strong as any - there was no bigger job or harder task over the last seven years."
Alliance leader David Ford said: "She took on an extremely difficult task and did an excellent job.
"She shone a light into the darkest times of the Troubles and ensured that all sides were heard.
"Her investigations were seen as fair and impartial by the vast majority of police officers as well as complainants."
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/704
Published Date: 06-Nov-07
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