The following is the full statement issued by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr O'Donoghue, on the investigation into allegations made by a Garda officer in relation to the handling of intelligence information on the activities of paramilitary groups
In recent weeks the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, Ms Nuala O'Loan, presented a report to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Brian Cowen. The report related to allegations made by what was described as a serving officer of An Garda Síochána in relation to the handling of intelligence information by his authorities relating to the activities of paramilitary groups. The Minister for Foreign Affairs passed on the report to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr John O'Donoghue.
While the serving officer of the Garda Síochána was not named in the Ombudsman's report, there have since been media reports to the effect that the serving officer of the Garda Síochána behind the allegations is, in fact, a suspended officer of the Garda Síochána facing criminal charges in relation to unrelated matters. It is also the case that the behaviour of the officer concerned will be the subject of scrutiny at the Tribunal of Inquiry which the Oireachtas has established in relation to matters concerning policing in Donegal.
Ms O'Loan requested this jurisdiction to have an investigation in relation to the matters contained in her report. For her part she also indicated that she would consider undertaking a parallel investigation to consider any role the Royal Ulster Constabulary may have had (although her report contains no allegations against the RUC).
Notwithstanding the source of the allegations and the circumstances surrounding the manner in which very sensitive information impinging on issues of national security was made available to an agency outside the jurisdiction, the Minister, after careful consideration and consultation - including consultation with the Garda Commissioner - decided that the allegations contained in the report should be examined independently by persons with relevant experience and qualifications to look into sensitive security matters.
Having considered the initial report of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, Mr Dermot Nally, former Secretary to the Government, Mr Eamon Barnes, former Director of Public Prosecutions, and Mr Joe Brosnan, former Secretary of the Department of Justice, agreed to carry out the examination.
This three-person group subsequently held their first meeting on 29 April.
The Garda Commissioner has confirmed that the group will have the full co-operation of the Garda authorities, including access to all relevant material.
The Minister understands that today the Ombudsman's Office has made detailed background documentation available to the group examining the matter.
Given the sensitivity of the material contained in the Ombudsman's report in relation to operational Garda matters in dealing with terrorist organisations, it would not be in the public interest to go into any further detail at this time beyond saying that the Garda Commissioner has assured the Minister that there is no basis for any suggestion that there was information available to the Garda Síochána which could have enabled them to prevent the Omagh atrocity.
The Minister will make a further statement when the findings of the group established to examine the matter are made available to him.