Pearse Doherty TD
DONEGAL Deputy Pearse Doherty has today named the whistleblower from the county within An Garda Siochana.
Garda Keith Harrison, alleged Deputy Doherty, had seen his career nosedive after arresting a serving member of the drugs unit in Westmeath for alleged drink-driving.
That officer later had the case dropped, alleged Deputy Doherty.
The Sinn Fein TD said he had met Gda Harrison a month ago to discuss his case and on the day Alan Shatter resigned as Justice Minister he felt confident to go forward.
Gda Harrison, who lives in north Donegal. was meeting the confidential Garda recipient today to hand over a file on the affair, said Deputy Doherty.
The garda had been on desk duty recently, while the officer he arrested with a high-level of alcohol in his system was still allowed access to garda cars and to hold a firearm, said Deputy Doherty
The Sinn Féin TD said that on Monday he met Garda Harrison and another whistleblower Nicky Keogh along with John Wilson.
At that meeting sworn affidavits were handed over, he said, including one expressing concerns about a member of a garda drugs unit.
Mr Doherty said that it was not for him to investigate the claims, but he could ask for assurance that there would be no backlash against the men.
Mr Doherty said that Garda Harrison’s sworn affidavit said that he had been totally undermined and destroyed and that his good name and that of his family has been tarnished as a result of his actions.
He added: “Garda Harrison makes serious claims about how the drunk-driving case was struck out of court on dubious rulings and how evidence relating to the case was stolen by a member of the gardaí.
“He also claims that a member of the gardaí, of officer rank stationed in the Westmeath division, prevented successful prosecution of individuals in a number of cases.”
He said a civilian had also come forward in recent days, who corroborates claims that have been made by Garda Nicky Kehoe in relation to heroin dealing and a member of gardaí.
Earlier Deputy Mary Lou McDonald slammed both Fine Gael ministers and their predecessors in Fianna Fail for failing to implement the recommendations of the Morris Tribunal.
She said this failure must be part of the investigation into the Guerin Report.
Donegal Daily had not previously covered this story on legal advice, as some of the allegations are denied, and we were advised to wait for a statement in Dail Eireann where it has parliamentary privilege.
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