CONTROVERSIES DOGGING COMMISSIONER’S REIGN

Gangland crime:

Taoiseach Enda Kenny was forced to express his full confidence in Ms O’Sullivan during the middle of the general election campaign after major questions were raised over her response to the gangland crisis. Ms O’Sullivan made the extraordinary claim that there was “no specific intelligence” to indicate there would be an attack at the Regency Hotel, where David Byrne was gunned down by gangsters armed with AK47s.

Letter of comfort to Sinn Féin:

In an unusual move, Ms O’Sullivan sent a letter to a Sinn Féin politician in which she rejected a report by ‘Sunday Independent’ journalist Jim Cusack about the Provisional IRA’s involvement in illegal cigarette smuggling.

She stated that the force held no intelligence to support the assertion that “the Provisional IRA still maintains its military structure and confines its criminal activities to fuel laundering, cigarettesmuggling and counterfeiting ”. Just months later, Ms O’Sullivan admitted the IRA structures do exist.

O’Higgins Commission

Ms O’Sullivan was forced to deny claims that she instructed her legal team to discredit Garda Sergeant Maurice McCabe at the O’Higgins Commission, which was set up to investigate allegations of Garda misconduct in the Cavan-Monaghan district.

San Diego

Ms O’Sullivan was criticised for attending a policing conference in San Diego – just days before rankand-file gardaí were due to go on strike.

Whistleblower controversy

Ms O’Sullivan’s fate as Garda Commissioner could be decided at the upcoming Disclosures Tribunal, which will investigate allegations she engaged in a smear campaign against Garda Sergeant Maurice McCabe. Ms O’Sullivan denies the claims. The Commissioner will also be investigated over claims Garda Headquarters provided false information about Sgt McCabe which was broadcast on RTÉ.

David Taylor

The Commissioner’s treatment of another star witness at the tribunal – Supt David Taylor – has also raised serious questions. Ms O’Sullivan appointed her husband, Chief Supt Jim MacGowan, to lead an investigation into allegations that Supt Taylor leaked confidential information to the media. The DPP later ruled that he had no case to answer. Despite this, Ms O’Sullivan sanctioned an internal disciplinary investigation against Supt Taylor.

Appointments

Questions have been raised after Ms O’Sullivan appointed some of her closest Garda allies, who had retired from the force, to the internal unit tasked with liaising with Judge Charleton.