Responding to reports about Commissioner Harris’ denial to Minister O’Callaghan of allegations of strip searching and cavity searching of Mothers Against Genocide protesters, People Before Profit TD, Paul Murphy commented:
'It is quite incredible that the Minister for Justice appears to be just taking the word of the Garda Commissioner that the Gardaí did not strip search or cavity search Mothers Against Genocide protesters. This is the Minister effectively calling these mothers liars before there has been any independent investigation of their complaints.
'I believe the multiple women who have described their experience of being strip searched and one of being cavity searched. They are standing over their statements and are currently preparing complaints to Fiosrú. The Minister for Justice should have waited for an independent investigation before coming to a conclusion on this. If these mothers are vindicated, as I believe they will be, his position will be untenable.'