Garda Ombudsman’s report criticises informant system

An Garda Síochána should be subject to “intrusive and independent” oversight into how it handles informants, the Garda Ombudsman has said in a hard-hitting report.

The watchdog is demanding “immediate and direct” access to the Garda computer system, claiming gardaí “withheld evidence” during its four-year investigation into allegations of collusion between a convicted drugs trafficker and members of the force.

The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) claimed senior gardaí knew about the relationship between detectives in a specialist unit and dealer Kieran Boylan, who was run “off book”, or outside the official informant system.