The former garda confidential recipient, Oliver Connolly, declined a request by the Department of Justice to repudiate an alleged transcript of a conversation he had with a garda whistleblower.

Oliver Connolly has released a statement about his role as confidential recipient for An Garda Síochána.

Garda whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe has spoken publicly for the first time to dispute what he says are “false and misleading statements” which were attributed to Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan in reports yesterday.

There are “serious flaws” in legislation relating to gardaí, including how the concerns of whistleblowers in the force are addressed, the former Garda ombudsman commission member Conor Brady has warned.