A state solicitor was so concerned about the strategy to undermine Garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe at the commission investigating his allegations that she made a late-night weekend phone call to the Garda head of legal affairs to alert him to what was happening.

A decade-old indecent assault allegation against whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe was discussed at a meeting between gardaí and lawyers days before the O'Higgins commission of inquiry began hearings.

Former Garda commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan called the Department of Justice twice in one day to discuss a strategy to discredit whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe at the O’Higgins Commission set up to investigate his allegations of corruption and malpractice in the force.

Latest: Gardai have said there is no indication yet that the Kinahan cartel was behind a major drugs seizure in Co Meath which the force confirmed this afternoon has netted €3.8 million worth of cannabis and ecstasy.

Social media awareness campaigns help to keep the memories of missing children alive, according to the ISPCC.

More than 1,700 weapons have been reported stolen to gardaí over the past five years.

Gun owners are preparing to fight proposed changes to the law despite Garda warnings of a mass shooting without tighter control on firearms.

Gardaí are recommending that all handguns, except those used for Olympic sport, are banned under proposed new legislation.

The High Court has heard gardaí are in a "Catch-22" situation when trying to move water protesters from inside barriers where water meters are being installed because it is not a public area and the Public Order Act does not apply.

Gardaí have raised concerns in the High Court about their ability to police protests around water meter installation works.

Laws that target sex buyers and pimps can curb human trafficking and prostitution, writes Denise Charlton.

Ireland became the “destination of choice” for working prostitutes during the boom, where they could earn three times as much as in other European countries.

A child abduction alert system is to be set up inthe coming weeks followed soon after by a dedicated national helpline.

STATE agencies have come together to crack down on forest fires after a trebling of fires last year.

A massive surge in forest fires sparked by rogue landowners and fly-tippers is costing taxpayers millions of euro, authorities warned today.

THOUSANDS of gun owners face prosecution and having their weapons seized unless they apply for new firearm licences. The deadline for licence applications is the end of this month.

GARDAÍ found a young man in a pool of blood yesterday after he was stabbed several times following a domestic dispute in a quiet Cavan housing estate.