Tánaiste to consider protected disclosures regarding campaign against whistleblowers
Tanaiste and Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald has said she will “very carefully” consider two protected disclosures from two senior Gardai alleging a campaign to destroy whistleblowers
Speaking at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice this morning, Ms Fitzgerald was responding to revelations in the Irish Examiner about the disclosures, which said senior management ordered the smear campaign to proceed.
The Tanaiste said she is bound by law and by very strict rules of confidentiality and therefore could not comment in detail as to the substance of the disclosures.
“I have very real difficulty in what I can say on this,” she told the Committee.
Independents4Change TD Mick Wallace said the documents which landed on the minister’s desk were “pretty frightening” and said that appointing Noirin O’Sullivan as Garda Commissioner was a mistake.
Earlier, his colleague, Dublin Fingal TD Clare Daly called on the Commissioner to resign as her position was untenable, in light of the allegations.
Her comments come after Taoiseach Enda Kenny confirmed Ms Fitzgerald Fitzgerald, had received allegations that senior gardaí were involved in a campaign to discredit a whistleblower in the force.
Ms Daly was speaking on RTE’s Morning Ireland and said she had spoken to the two officers behind the protected disclosures and said
She added that no garda could be confident in coming forward, given the attitude towards whistleblowers.
"I think that the Commissioner's position is utterly untenable," said Ms Daly.
"There's a huge breach of trust now in this regard. How could any garda have confidence in that operation and certainly seeing what these whistleblowers have been through. I wouldn't if I was one."
A spokesman for the Garda Commissioner told the Irish Examiner that Ms O'Sullivan welcomed any protective disclosure and that she had, on numerous occasions, expressed her support for any employees with issues.
As Commissioner, she had actively encouraged gardaí to bring forward any concerns, the spokesman said.
Also, at the meeting, Ms Fitzgerald said it was the Government’s preference that no judges be appointed until new legislation is passed.
She was speaking amid reports that Independent Transport Minister Shane Ross and other Independent Alliance ministers have blocked all appointments.
