PAC a-buzz with talk of sweetening guards to avoid sting in tail

Bees annoying livestock were introduced to the Public Accounts Committee yesterday, but the appearance of Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan could have stirred up something of a hornet’s nest.

The commissioner had a sting or two to deliver himself. He described the actions of two whistleblowers within the force as “disgusting” and “irresponsible”.

But he didn’t have it all his own way. It was put to him that whistleblowers had come to the committee because they had lost all confidence in the system of reporting wrongdoing within the gardaí.