Garda commissioner’s decision to sack officer quashed by court

A decision of the Garda commissioner that a garda be sacked if he did not resign for breaches of discipline, including an allegation of sexual impropriety, has been quashed by the High Court.

Cork-based Garda Colm O’Flaherty yesterday won his High Court challenge against the commissioner’s decision of 2014 that he resign or face being dismissed after making certain admissions before a Garda board of inquiry into alleged breaches of discipline.

Garda O’Flaherty, who denied the allegations, claimed he had entered into an arrangement with a garda superintendent that if he made certain admissions he would get a monetary fine only.