Teen overdosed after drug deal with garda informer outside school, says whistleblower

A TEENAGER was hospitalised after consuming drugs supplied to him by a criminal who did deals outside a rural secondary school, a Garda whistleblower has claimed.

However, a surveillance investigation into the drug dealer, who was on bail at the time, was dropped because he was allegedly a garda informer.

The allegations are contained in an explosive protected disclosure submitted to Garda Commissioner Noirin O’Sullivan last year.

The whistleblower also claimed that the same criminal put a gun “under the chin” of a 16-year-old boy before pointing the weapon at a young woman who was holding a child.

This incident was allegedly reported to gardai by the young woman but it did not result in searches or arrests.

It is also claimed that details of the alleged incident were not uploaded to the Garda’s Pulse system and no intelligence file was created to alert gardai to the possibility of an armed criminal operating in their area.

It is also alleged that members of the force were not alerted to the gun threat because the drug dealer was being used as an informer by local gardai.

The rank-and-file garda claims the criminal at the centre of the allegations is an informer who gardai are “unable to control”. The garda said the criminal was “too volatile” to be used as an informer and was a risk to other officers and the public.

“I believe members’ safety was put at risk by them not being informed. I believe that members of the public were put at risk because of the fact it was not properly reported” the garda said.

The Sunday Independent has previously revealed how the whistleblower claimed to have been targeted by senior members of the force after discovering a explosive device linked to a well-known criminal.

However, last week the whistleblower received confirmation that there would be no investigation into claims the officer did not follow correct procedure on finding the pipe bomb.

In a letter from the investigating officer, the whistleblower was thanked for their “assistance and professionalism” in dealing with the disciplinary investigation.

In the protected disclosure, the garda claims to have been “targeted” by senior members of the force as a result of the “success” of finding the pipe bomb.

“It is my belief that those same members were jealous of this success,” the garda said.

Gardai carried out a risk assessment over fears there was a threat against the whistleblower after the local criminal was prosecuted for road traffic offences.

The garda is on workrelated stress leave after a breakdown in relations with a superior officer.

Just before Christmas, the whistleblower was told their concerns about a senior officer had been brought to the individual’s attention.

The senior garda assured the whistleblower that when they returned to duty they could expect a “working environment that is caring, supportive, and one in which you as with all employees are treated with respect and dignity at all times”.

It is understood the whistleblower is reluctant to return to duty while the senior officer is still their superior. The allegations are contained in a protected disclosure submitted to Garda Commissioner O’Sullivan last year.

‘The garda said the criminal was “too volatile” to be an informer‘