Lost in translation: Ireland and the Patten Report

Abstract

Police accountability structures in the Republic of Ireland have recently undergone fundamental reform in response to international developments and domestic scandals. During the debates as to what shape new measures should take, numerous commentators called for implementation of the Patten Report. This article will evaluate the role which the Patten Report played in the reform debates. It will be argued that by interpreting that report as recommending a series of new mechanisms, rather than reflecting on the theoretical underpinnings, the value which it has for other jurisdictions has become lost in translation. By analysing the reforms which were introduced in Ireland from the theoretical framework in Patten, the deficiencies of the new system in the Republic will be highlighted. Through this case study, the potential value of the Patten Report for other jurisdictions, in providing a theoretically sound blueprint for accountability reform, will be elaborated.