Ex-Garda boss getting 24/7 protection due to threat to life
AROUND-THE-CLOCK Garda protection for Noirín O’Sullivan remains in place at her home because of an ‘active threat to her life’, the Mail can reveal.
Despite her resignation as Garda commissioner three months ago, sources say that because of a ‘viable threat’ to the life of Ms O’Sullivan, her 24/7 Garda protection at her home remains in situ.
The Mail cannot reveal for security reasons details of the threat but it is understood that a ‘threat level assessment’ of Ms O’Sullivan was carried out upon her resignation in early September.
Following this evaluation upon her departure, detectives concluded that a threat to the life of the former commissioner ‘remains live’. The threat is understood not to have been levelled as a consequence of her role as Garda commissioner for the past two years.
Sources say Ms O’Sullivan was ‘very active and hands on’ in terms of ‘being directly involved in taking down major criminals including drug dealers’ earlier in her career. The threat to her life is as a consequence of this, it is understood. A source explained: ‘Upon her departure, a threat level assessment was carried out. It was determined that a significant threat remained. Therefore, the garda posting remains at her home. The threat level assessment remains under constant review. When it is reduced, the Garda protection post will cease to exist. This is a highly sensitive situation.’
The Mail understands that Ms O’Sullivan’s predecessor, Martin Callinan, had the Garda protection posting at his home terminated within a few weeks of his resignation. A separate source added: ‘There are no hard and fast rules here. If there is no threat, the posting will cease to exist.
‘If there is a threat concern, it will remain in place. No two cases are the same.’
It is understood that uniformed unarmed gardaí from the former commissioner’s local station provide her around-theclock protection. Each officer assigned is based at her home, or in a ‘roving capacity’ in her estate, for a five hour shift.
A third source said: ‘It is at a high expense to the taxpayer to have such a posting.’ On September 10, Ms O’Sullivan announced she was retiring from the Garda. In a statement, she said she was stepping down because of the ‘unending cycle’ of investigations and inquiries meant she could not devote enough time to bring about the ‘deep cultural and structural’ reforms required in the force.
This is not the first time controversy has arisen over Ms O’Sullivan’s garda security posting.
In 2015, a row has erupted between gardaí and the force’s top brass over officers posted outside the then Garda Commissioner’s home having no access to a toilet.
Rank-and-file gardaí threatened to withdraw a round-theclock security detail at Ms O’Sullivan’s home unless a Garda hut with cooking and toilet facilities is provided.
When the garda needed to use toilet facilities, they had to radio their colleagues so that another garda could stand in for the officer while they drive the patrol car back to the station to use the toilet.
The issue was later resolved between Garda management and Garda unions.
The Garda Commissioner’s protection detail was increased in 2015 following a security review after her home address was published online.
‘No hard and fast rules here’