Garda’s whistleblower claims deemed unjustified

[ad_1]

Claims by a Garda whistleblower that he was targeted by senior officers after making a protected disclosure have proven unwarranted.

In a 792-page report released yesterday after 53 days of public hearings at Dublin Castle in 2019 and 2020, Judge Sean Ryan said the complaints filed by Garda Nicky Keogh were unfounded.

Garda Keogh filed complaints about 22 episodes which he said were his target because he made a protected disclosure, but upon investigation they were found to be unfounded and essentially ill-conceived.

Judge Ryan said a reader of the report might wonder how Garda Keogh was wrong about all of the allegations he made.

The inference, from all the evidence, was that suspicion, disappointment, stress, and misunderstanding, against a background of long-term alcohol addiction, meant that Garda Keogh became irrational and even paranoid at times.

Allegations

The court investigated the targeting complaints made by Garda Keogh, not the content of his protected disclosure, which concerned allegations of Garda’s corruption in Athlone.

The corruption allegations led to the presentation of a case to the Director of Public Prosecutions and the decision not to lay charges.

Among the complaints filed with the court was a complaint against former Garda Commissioner Nirn OSullivan which was not prosecuted when the public hearings began, and in support of which no evidence was ever produced.

The truth is that the officers accused by Garda Keogh did not target or discredit him as a result of his protected disclosure, Judge Ryan said.

The complaints filed by Garda Keogh concerned issues such as micro-supervision at Athlone Garda station, alleged delay in paying travel expenses, confinement indoors, investigations into his protected disclosure allegations, allegations of intimidation and promotion of an officer working in Athlone.

Complaints

The investigation of the complaints involved 15 senior attorneys, 16 junior attorneys and nine law firms, acting for 13 different individuals, entities or groups, and fell within the P mandate of the tribunal, which instructed the tribunal to examine the complaints of the members of the force who made protected disclosures.

The court may conduct two or even three additional modules on allegations under this mandate, involving other whistleblowers.

Earlier court reports, written by Judge Peter Charleton, concerned Sergeant Maurice McCabe, Garda Keith Harrison and matters relating to the child and family agency, Tusla.

[ad_2]