Did the commissioner of An Garda Síochána wrongly attempt to discredit a Garda whistleblower behind the closed doors of a statutory inquiry?

Latest:  An Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald has addressed the Dáil on the controversy surrounding the receipt of an email relating to Garda Maurice McCabe, which the former Minister for Justice said she could not remember receiving or reading in May 2015.

IT is, sadly, easy to argue that An Garda Síochána cannot withstand another scandal; the force’s credibility is shot.

Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald has refused to say if she was aware of a plan to attack the character of Garda whistle-blower Maurice McCabe when she was minister for justice.

A report which was sent to GSOC by Donegal gardaí outlining alleged threats a garda whistleblower made to his partner was not an official complaint, the Charleton tribunal has been told.

The Garda Ombudsman has received a surge in garda whistleblower complaints this year, with 13 disclosures to date in 2017 compared to 11 over the previous three years.

Peter Charleton, who will chair the inquiry into the alleged smearing of a garda whistleblower, believes that lies underpin evil, says Dan Buckley

Michael Clifford explains how false allegations against Garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe threatened to undermine public trust in the institutions of the State

The whistleblower who revealed the Garda college financial scandal has alleged he was met with a “deafening silence” by senior officials after raising the scale of the escalating controversy.

LATEST: Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald has admitted that it will take time for gardaí to feel confident acting as whistleblowers.

Garda Commissioner Noirin O’Sullivan has brushed off remarks by the chair of the Policing Authority that there were concerns over her ability to focus on her job while dealing with the whistleblower tribunal.

Last week, as it was reported the Policing Authority is to fill its first senior position since it was handed that power, the Garda Review warned in an editorial that ‘nepotism and pull are alive and well’ in the selection process. Today ex-garda Patrick Horan, now a lawyer, argues that methods of promotion have sullied the honour of the force.

Latest: It is understood the Independent Alliance wants an external audit of the Gardaí in the wake of the whistleblower controversy.

The Government will publish the terms of reference later for a statutory inquiry into the treatment of Garda whistleblowers.

Here's your evening update.

The Department of Justice has refused to say if Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald will ask Garda Commissioner Nóirín O Sullivan to step aside if a State inquiry is opened into claims senior management tried to discredit whistleblowers.

The Government will “make a mockery” of Garda whistleblowers if it allows Nóirín O’Sullivan to remain in power while a commission of investigation into claims senior management attempted to discredit them takes place.

The Garda commissioner has said ethical policing is not a “tick box exercise” and committed the organisation to implementing a code of ethics, published yesterday by the Policing Authority.

Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan said she has no knowledge of a so-called smear campaign against a whistleblower in her force.

A report into an alleged "smear campaign" against Garda whistleblowers has been submitted to the Department of Justice.

Update 6.30pm: An Garda Síochána has said that it welcomes the publication of the Policing Authority’s report today concerning whistleblowing in the force.

Garda Commissioners don’t do kite-flying, so Nóirín O’Sullivan’s suggestion of another watchdog was likely discussed but it may not fly, writes Cormac O’Keeffe

It was, as outspoken TD Mick Wallace joked darkly, “one for the mantelpiece”.

Nóirín O’Sullivan’s performance yesterday did nothing to quell doubts about whether any confidence can be vested in the running of the force, writes Michael Clifford.

Garda chief Nóirín O'Sullivan has suggested an independent body should be set up to deal with whistleblowers within her rank and file.

THERE can be little doubt that the scope of the inquiry into Garda whistleblower allegations by retired High Court judge Iarfhlaith O’Neill ought to be widened to include the protected disclosure of Garda Keith Harrison. 

Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan is set to be grilled by opposition TDs over the escalating whistleblowers’ scandal tomorrow when she attends a pre-arranged meeting with the Dáil’s cross-party justice committee.

The review into the alleged mistreatment of garda whistleblowers could be widened into a full-blown inquiry, Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald’s office has said.

There are concerns that a judge-led inquiry into allegations of bullying and intimidation within the Gardaí will not go far enough.

An inquiry into allegations of bullying and intimidation of Garda whistleblowers is expected to take up to six weeks.

The Government last night announced a judge-led inquiry into allegations by two senior that Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan knew of a campaign by senior officers to “destroy” a whistleblower.

Wholly contradictory statements about the alleged smear campaign against whistleblowers must be clarified immediately if the Garda Commissioner is to retain any credibility, writes Political Editor Daniel McConnell

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald held meetings this week to discuss allegations that senior gardaí covered up claims of sex abuse in Waterford.

Former High Court Judge Iarfhlaith O'Neill has been appointed to oversee an inquiry into allegations of a smear campaign against whistleblowers in the Gardaí.

One of the whistleblowers at the centre of the latest Garda scandal has said he has strong reservations about any judge-led inquiry, the Irish Examiner can reveal.