GARDA COMMISSIONER DREW Harris said he cannot clarify why he took a PSNI jeep carrying armed officers from the North to Garda HQ due to security concerns.
Harris was travelling back from the North to the Phoenix Park in Dublin last month, where he would usually have transferred to an official garda vehicle after crossing into Ireland.
However, he remained in the unmarked PSNI jeep all the way back to Dublin.
Speaking at the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) conference in Cavan, Harris said he could not talk about the incident.
“I am the garda commissioner and regrettably because of the lifestyle threats have been imposed on me and because of this I receive security. It is not a position that one would volunteer for but the same time does directly relate to my security and the security of my family. I do not wish to comment any further on this.”
Harris was also drawn on the ongoing controversy within the AGSI and said he hoped the matter would be resolved.
It emerged late last week that two separate protected disclosures were made in December last year alleging serious malpractice against a member of An Garda Siochana who is also a member of the AGSI.
The allegations contained within the protected disclosures allege that the AGSI member took on part-time work outside of their duties – something prohibited under garda rules.
The National Bureau of Criminal Investigation is understood to be carrying out an investigation. It is being alleged that the garda carried out consultancy work for a business with a multi-million euro turnover.
Speaking today, Harris said: “It’s been dealt with, it’s been dealt with expeditiously and I would hope soon to see the papers in respect of that and obviously I would wish to study those carefully and make an objective decision based on those papers.
“The hypothetical is so close to the suggested allegations that I can’t comment.
“The question of discipline in an organisation, particularly a policing organisation, such as ourselves, is a very important one.
“We are here, we are public servants, they have a rightful expectation as to what our behaviours are and in the end we as An Garda Siochana should be able to be trusted to the ends of the earth, and I want to make sure that our behaviours within the organisation are exemplary and demonstrate that.
“So in my approach to this I will consider obviously all the facts and I also consider what is the public impact of an individual continuing to serve as a garda member.”
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