Garda whistleblower report: Appalling vista of our making

AN appalling vista of our own making looms. 

Retired judge Iarlaigh O’Neill has given to the Department of Justice his report on how garda whistleblowers were treated. That report concentrates on protected disclosures, one from Supt Dave Taylor and another Sgt Maurice McCabe. These point to a campaign allegedly driven by senior Garda management “to bury” McCabe. If the existence of such a campaign is confirmed then our police force, especially its senior officers, face seismic consequences.

If that appalling vista is confirmed then other doubts arise. If such a campaign was formalised then what credibility can be given to briefings offered to ministers by those very officers? If such a campaign was activated is it realistic to imagine that sympathetic reporters might have, knowingly or unknowingly, not been used to paint a particular picture to support one narrative over the other?