A journalist knew of serious allegations of corruption and blackmail in an internal garda inquiry before they were put to a Minister for Justice, it emerged today.

An ex-detective sacked from the gardaí today made an emotional plea for a retired colleague to withdraw allegations of his involvement in a police conspiracy.

A barrister today insisted he never misled the Labour Party’s Brendan Howlin over allegations of top-level Garda corruption that led to the Morris Tribunal.

An MEP forgot a former Taoiseach warned him to stop raising the issue of garda corruption in the Dáil until he spoke with a journalist, the Morris Tribunal was told today.

Former Fine Gael leader John Bruton did call a party colleague telling him to ease off raising the issue of garda corruption in the Dáil, the Morris Tribunal was told today.

A garda sergeant today insisted he was intimidated by a suspect wrongly arrested during a murder case 10 years ago.

MEMBERS of the McBrearty family last night accused the Minister for Justice of hypocrisy after he announced the State will apologise and concede liability in an expected multi-million euro claim to be heard later this month.

Nightclub owner Frank McBrearty Snr was subjected to a campaign of harassment and intimidation instigated by gardaí investigating the death of Raphoe cattle dealer Richie Barron, he claimed today.

TWO gardaí at the centre of a garda corruption inquiry concerning the investigation into the death of Donegal cattle dealer Richie Barron were last night sacked from the force.

The chairman of the Morris Tribunal has refused to ask the Dail for an extension of the terms of reference of his inquiry into alleged garda corruption in Donegal.

Fine Gael has vowed to make another effort to secure an extension of the Morris Tribunal's terms of reference, this time by tabling a private members' motion in the Senate.