GARDA CONTROVERSIES: THE CASUALTIES

MAURICE MCCABE

Whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe first began raising his questions about Garda malpractice more than a decade ago. The ongoing Disclosures Tribunal is probing if he was subject to an alleged smear campaign by Garda.

MARTIN CALLINAN

The former Garda commissioner Martin Callinan resigned in March 2014 with the force embroiled in two controversies – namely the whistleblower issue and concern over the practice of recording phone calls at Garda stations.

ALAN SHATTER

The ex-Fine Gael TD quit as justice minister in May 2014 after his handling of the whistleblower claims was criticised in the Guerin report. The O’Higgins Commission subsequently found Mr Shatter handled the concerns appropriately.

BRIAN PURCELL

Former Department of Justice secretary general Brian Purcell stood aside in July 2014 after then minister Frances Fitzgerald published the Toland Report on the department, which identified a “closed, secretive and silodriven culture” there.

ENDA KENNY

Mr Kenny’s departure as Taoiseach earlier this year was accelerated over his handling of revelations in February that false allegations of child abuse were made against Garda whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe.

NÓIRÍN O’SULLIVAN

Ms O’Sullivan quit as Garda commissioner in September.

She said that the “unending cycle” of investigations and inquiries into Garda controversies was making it difficult to “implement the deep ... reform necessary to modernise” the Garda.

NOEL WATERS

Mr Waters served as acting secretary general of Justice after Mr Purcell’s departure. He was appointed on a permanent basis in October 2016. He had planned to retire in February but last night brought forward his retirement.