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Screengrab/RTÉ
watching the detectives
What does the real-life Commissioner think of the Love/Hate gardaí?
Martin Callinan admitted today that he watches the RTÉ drama. But what does he make of how the force is portrayed?
GARDA COMMISSIONER MARTIN Callinan has said the force is still looking at issues surrounding a serving officer’s appearance in hit crime drama Love/Hate.
Detective Kieran O’Reilly, who has previously worked in undercover drug operations, played a member of the elite unit cracking down on ‘Nidge’ and the gang in the latest series of the show.
Speaking to reporters today, Callinan confirmed he had been watching the show this season, with the caveat that he “might have a different reason” for tuning in, compared to other the million-odd viewers.
“There are issues, as I have said previously, surrounding this particular show — and there’s a superintendent looking at those issues at the moment.”
O’Reilly’s character, Detective Madden, made his first appearance early in the latest series, posing undercover as a drug addict, before signing up with the senior detective leading the ‘Nidge’ investigation.
Asked what he though of the general depiction of the gardaí in the show, Callinan said: “I’ll leave that to yourself and the general public”.
Judging by what the general public have been saying, it’s probably safe to infer that the nation’s most senior police officer was more of a fan of season three.
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