Gardaí warned not to leak information

The Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy today warned gardaí to stop providing information to the media about criminal investigations.

In a hard-hitting speech, he said that leaked information could create difficulties for a Garda investigation and even prejudice any future criminal prosecution.

“I fail to understand how such misguided disclosures can in any way be perceived to benefit An Garda Siochana or the criminal justice system and I would urge all our members to be more circumspect and discreet when dealing with representatives with the media,” he said.

At the annual conference of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) in Kilkenny, Commissioner Conroy said he was amazed at the apparent ease with which the media obtained details on Garda investigations.

He added that it reflected "very poorly" on the professionalism of the force and advised officers to direct reporters to the Garda Press Office instead.

In recent months, there has been intensive media coverage of high-profile Garda investigations, such as the hunt for the killer of mother-of-two Rachel O’Reilly.

Last year, Justice Minister Michael McDowell proposed introducing criminal sanctions against gardaí who disclosed sensitive information to journalists.

Although there have been recent cases which collapsed in the wake of prejudicial court reporting, gardaí have said privately that ongoing criminal investigations have not been prejudiced by media reporting.