Gardaí accused of deliberately delaying giving information to PAC

Gardaí have been accused of deliberately withholding information from the Public Accounts Committee, until it's too late to check it.

The accusation comes after TDs received a letter from the head of Garda administration, dealing with claims made by the director of finance about the Templemore training college.

The PAC is in the middle of compiling its report into Templemore, and can no longer call witnesses to cross-examine any claims.

Fianna Fáil's Marc MacSharry said the information had to be "dragged" out of gardaí.

He said: "As far as I'm concerned, there's wilful delay on the part of the Gardaí. We are being drip-fed information about very simple questions.

"This letter is a kind of catch-all, 'cover all the bases', having been dragged kicking and screaming to give some kind of response."