Gardaí spend thousands on committee ‘coaching’

“Coaching” sessions for Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan and for other senior officers to deal with Oireachtas committees were among €140,000 worth of PR services paid for by the taxpayer.

In 2016, when allegations of a smear campaign against Sgt Maurice McCabe emerged, the spend by the force with the Communications Clinic, owned by Terry Prone, jumped from €10,400 to €92,995, according to figures obtained by the Irish Examiner.

Garda sources denied that the money primarily went on Ms O’Sullivan and senior officers, insisting it mainly went on training superintendents who deal with the media. However, senior officers who appear before Oireachtas committees do receive training in advance of hearings.