25 people with links to GAA are quizzed over Garda ‘corruption’
UP TO 25 people connected to the Limerick All-Ireland winning hurling squad, and a player at another Munster GAA county team, have been questioned under caution in connection with an alleged Garda corruption inquiry, the Irish Mail on Sunday has learned.
However, senior Garda sources confirmed to the MoS last night that there are concerns over the lack of progress in the corruption inquiry as well as a perceived heavyhandedness on civilians.
The Garda Serious Crime Squad is investigating alleged links between gardaí based in Munster and organised crime.
Information gleaned from the mobile phones of a garda has led the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NBCI) to inquire into the alleged ‘squaring away’ of road traffic charges.
As revealed in the MoS last month, other serious charges have also allegedly been subject to non-pursuit.
Now, up to 25 people have
‘They are looking a bit desperate now’
been taken to Garda stations, usually stations outside Limerick, and subjected to questioning under caution.
A number of players and staff linked to the Limerick squad have been questioned and had their phones confiscated.
Individuals only tangentially connected to the GAA have also been questioned.
A spokesman for An Garda Síochána told the MoS last night: ‘A number of gardaí have been formally interviewed in relation to this ongoing investigation. An Garda Síochána will not comment further at this time on this investigation which is ongoing.’
There are concerns among senior Garda management that a woman who had innocently communicated with an arrested garda was taken to a Garda station and questioned at length, despite having recently experienced a serious medical event.
A national figure from another GAA county team has also been questioned, the MoS has learned.
The Limerick County Board confirmed yesterday that some of their players have been questioned.
However, there is a growing concern at Garda HQ about the lack of progress in this investigation.
‘It remains to be seen where the arrests of three gardaí will lead,’ said a senior Garda source, ‘but as of now there is nothing significant emerging that is pushing this on.
‘However, we are concerned about the questioning of civilians who, in many cases, were innocently in contact with a certain garda about roadtraffic violations and penalty points.’
Sources at Limerick County
Board have also expressed concern. ‘They are looking a bit desperate now,’ they said. ‘There is a disproportionate level of focus on the members of the public. They’ve done nothing wrong.’
A spokesman for Limerick County Board told the MoS yesterday: ‘Limerick County Board will have no comment when the case [corruption] is ongoing and it doesn’t involve any players being punished or anything else. They are not being questioned for their doings in the matter. It is nothing to do with the county board, as such.’
While confirming that the GAA players were questioned by gardaí, the spokesman said: ‘There was no wrongdoing on any of the player’s part.
‘As far as we know, there are no repercussions [for the players]. The case is ongoing.’
Last month, the MoS revealed that a group of GAA stars had been questioned in connection with this investigation. It is alleged that charges over an undetermined period of time included road traffic offences, a drink-driving incident and a public order offence involving criminal damage at a fast-food premises.