‘No basis’ for whistleblowers to keep trawling Garda data

The two garda whistle-blowers had “no basis” for continuing to trawl Garda computer data and disclosing it outside the force once they had reported their allegations of malpractice, the State’s data watchdog has said.

Billy Hawkes said Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan had a legal duty to prevent “wholesale” access to, and dissemination of, PULSE data once the allegations had been made.

The intervention of the Data Protection Commissioner has provided backing to Mr Callinan, who has come under pressure from ministers to withdraw “disgusting” remarks he made in relation to the whistleblowers at an Oireachtas committee last January.