While the garda confidential recipient has directed his ire against opposition politicians, the media, and the whistleblower, he need only turn to the man who appointed him if he wants someone to blame, writes Michael Clifford

Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan and Ombudsman chairman Simon O’Brien could appear before an Oireachtas committee review of oversight laws.

Fresh concerns are being expressed at the ability of the Garda ombudsman to do its job effectively after figures show staff levels have been cut by more than 20% since 2007.

The coalition is under pressure to take action to resolve the crisis on the third anniversary of the last election, writes Political Reporter Juno McEnroe

An internal review has been ordered at the Department of Justice amid mounting pressure on Justice Minister Alan Shatter to address opposition claims that he did nothing about Garda malpractice allegations for two years.

Mary Lynch was working her taxi for just over two hours when she encountered Jerry McGrath. It was 2.15am on Monday, April 30, 2007. McGrath emerged from the nightclub in the Headford Arms Hotel in Kells, Co Meath, and asked would she take him to Virginia, Co Cavan, where his sister lived. He was from Dundrum in Tipperary, but was staying with his sister.

Labour has backed embattled Justice Minister Alan Shatter amid claims that he ignored serious allegations of Garda malpractice for over two years.

A row has erupted over claims a former member of the judiciary appointed to lead an inquiry into the Garda ombudsman bugging scandal is a “Fine Gael judge”.

Justice Minister Alan Shatter is still refusing to apologise to garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe, amid calls that he correct the Dáil record over comments he made about him last October.

A woman attacked by a man who went on to murder Sylvia Roche Kelly in Limerick in December 2007 has claimed the 33-year-old would still be alive if her own case had been handled properly by gardaí.

Eight TDs yesterday called on embattled Justice Minister Alan Shatter to resign in the wake of the alleged bugging of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman’s offices.

THE breakdown in the relationship between the Garda Ombudsman and the Minister for Justice has deepened following Alan Shatter’s appearance at an Oireachtas committee on Wednesday evening.

Whistleblower ‘usually ends up the victim’

Rank-and-file gardaí are demanding the garda watchdog make a full apology to two of their colleagues who were charged with causing harm to a violent youth they were forced to subdue with pepper spray — and then had the charges against them dismissed.

Government rallies around justice minister amid calls for him to resign

The Dáil was rocked with accusations that Garda incompetence may have led to a murder and violent assaults being carried out.

Justice minister Alan Shatter has cast doubt on the Garda Ombudsman’s justification for launching a public interest investigation into suspected bugging at its Dublin headquarters.

Justice Minister Alan Shatter has said there was “nothing to indicate” gardaí were engaged in surveillance of the Garda Ombudsman at the time the watchdog set up an inquiry to investigate if members were involved.

WHEN the front page of a Sunday newspaper announced over a week ago that the Garda Siochána Ombudsman Commission has been under hi-tech surveillance I, like many people, was taken aback.

So, who’s screwed now, Mr Shatter?

AND so Alan Shatter has lived to fight another day.

The British company which carried out the security sweep at the offices of the Garda Ombudsman yesterday said it stood by its findings. Verrimus said it “welcomed the opportunity” to discuss its investigation with the High Court judge if it was so requested.

Former retired judge John Cooke has nearly 50 years experience in a senior position in the legal sector.

February 9, 2012

The confidential garda recipient was a key institution set up to help address the chronic failures identified by the Morris Tribunal into endemic corruption in the Donegal division.

Oliver Connolly is a barrister and recognised expert in the area of mediation. In June 2011 he was appointed as the confidential recipient for people wishing to act as whistleblowers for alleged corruption by An Garda Síochána.

A man claiming to be the drug dealer and garda informer Kieran Boylan whose case triggered the surveillance sweep at GSOC’s HQ, yesterday contacted the Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams.

Oliver J Connolly was sacked by his erstwhile buddy, Justice Minister Alan Shatter, but there is absolutely no evidence of any wrongdoing on his part, writes Michael Clifford

GSOC-gate judge must be granted the legal powers to do the job, writes Mark Kelly

The justice minister has said the Garda ombudsman has told him that a security threat at its HQ included a wi-fi device connected to a coffee shop below the watchdog’s offices.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny yesterday rejected opposition claims that Justice Minister Alan Shatter deliberately tried to undermine the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC), adding Mr Shatter would have no difficulty answering questions when he appears before the Oireachtas Oversight Committee later today.

A review of the Garda Ombudsman’s powers is unlikely to be completed before the watchdog begins its own investigation into the cancellation of penalty points by gardaí.

The Government is “undermining” the ability of the Garda Ombudsman to do its job, according to one of the country’s leading experts on criminal justice.

“It’s Day Nine of this saga,” Fianna Fáil’s Niall Collins helpfully announced in the manner of the Big Brother voiceover guy for the benefit of everyone who had lost track of our own tortuous tale of seeming surveillance.

When Enda Kenny walked down the steps of the Dáil chamber yesterday evening, he paused briefly for a deep breath before taking to his seat for Leaders’ Questions.

Justice Minister Alan Shatter is set to be questioned at the Oireachtas Oversight Committee today about claims he and the Taoiseach made about the Garda Ombudsman’s reporting obligations.

The British security firm which carried out a surveillance sweep at the Garda Ombudsman’s offices yesterday described reports regarding two of the three “technical anomalies” it detected as “wholly inaccurate”.

A timeline of the GSOC controversy

A judge-led review of the alleged bugging of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission will last eight weeks but will not be given statutory powers.

An embarrassing climbdown over the need for an independent inquiry into the GSOC bugging controversy was forced by growing Cabinet unease over Justice Minister Alan Shatter’s handling of the crisis.

Justice Minister Alan Shatter has agreed to attend an Oireachtas committee on Wednesday to discuss the GSOC bugging controversy. This may seem a concession, but Mr Shatter’s incomplete Dáil statement last week makes any other response impossible. Had he decided not to attend, that would have been unacceptable and thrown more fuel on a blazing fire.

The GSOC bugging crisis has the appearance of a fog.

What did Alan Shatter know before he went into the Dáil on Tuesday night?

An ex-garda ombudsman has said concern over garda knowledge of sensitive GSOC inquiries triggered the move to carry out a surveillance sweep at the commission’s headquarters in Dublin.