Ireland Case No. 30851Protected disclosure (whistleblower tribunal) · Co. Westmeath · 8 May 2014
Disclosures Tribunal finds Garda whistleblower Nicky Keogh 'became irrational'
The Disclosures Tribunal, chaired by Mr Justice Seán Ryan, found that Garda Nicky Keogh, who made a protected disclosure in 2014 alleging systematic corruption in the Athlone drugs unit, became 'irrational and even at times paranoid' due to stress and long-term alcohol addiction, and that the officers he accused did not target or discredit him.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court8 Jul
4 reports - Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports59 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe complaints included an alleged delay in payment of travel expenses (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe complaints included confinement to indoor duty (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe complaints included sick-leave matters (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe complaints included bullying allegations (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe complaints included the promotion of an officer colleague (irishtimes.com)
- whatAn abandoned issue alleged former commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan telephoned Superintendent Pat Murray in April 2015 to tell him to pull away from Keogh (irishtimes.com)
- whatKeogh told the tribunal he could not remember who had told him about the alleged phone call (irishtimes.com)
- whereKeogh's colleagues in the Athlone Garda station knew he made allegations (irishtimes.com)
- whereKeogh worked in Bray, Co Wicklow (irishtimes.com)
- whenKeogh made his protected disclosure on 8 May 2014 (irishtimes.com)
- whenMing Flanagan brought Keogh's allegations to the Dáil on 8 May 2014 (irishtimes.com)
- whenKeogh made a protected disclosure on the same day, 8 May 2014 (irishtimes.com)
- whenKeogh joined the gardaí in 2000 (irishtimes.com)
- whenKeogh transferred to Westmeath in 2006 (irishtimes.com)
- whenIn early 2014 Keogh began meeting Flanagan to discuss concerns about alleged Garda corruption in Athlone (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe Disclosures Tribunal published its report after hearings held during 2019 and 2020 (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe tribunal found the complaints are not justified (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge said the case does not reveal evidence of the conduct envisaged by the Oireachtas (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge said it is not to say everything that happened was satisfactory (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge said it does not mean Keogh acted in bad faith (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe tribunal found the charges are not substantiated (irishtimes.com)
- courtKeogh did not proceed with all issues at the public hearing (irishtimes.com)
- courtMr Justice Sean Ryan said how Keogh could have been wrong about targeting allegations is a question that might strike a reader of the report (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe tribunal found Keogh was not targeted by senior officers after making his disclosure (irishtimes.com)
- courtMr Justice Ryan said Keogh made his corruption allegation in good faith and it was not frivolous or vexatious (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe report followed 53 days of public hearings held in Dublin Castle during 2019 and 2020. (irishtimes.com)
- courtMr Justice Sean Ryan said the complaints made by Garda Keogh were 'not substantiated'. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe inquiry involved 15 senior counsel, 16 junior counsel and nine law firms acting for 13 different individuals, entities or groups. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe tribunal may conduct two, and possibly three, more modules into allegations under the same term of reference involving other whistleblowers. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe tribunal was headed by Mr Justice Seán Ryan, former president of the Court of Appeal (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe tribunal does not investigate Keogh's protected disclosure allegations (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe tribunal addressed 22 complaints that Keogh was targeted and discredited by senior officers (irishtimes.com)
- courtMr Justice Ryan said the officers accused by Keogh did not target him or discredit him (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe political atmosphere in 2014 regarding Garda and justice matters was febrile (irishtimes.com)
- otherKeogh came to the extreme conclusion that the assistant commissioner was intent on sabotaging the investigation (irishtimes.com)
- otherKeogh's resort to alcohol as a means of alleviating stress may have done the opposite (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe claim was taken very seriously by the former commissioner and Supt Murray (irishtimes.com)
- otherMaking the disclosure was a cause of stress for Keogh (irishtimes.com)
- otherStress increased after Keogh made his disclosures public (irishtimes.com)
- otherMost colleagues knew the person against whom the principal allegation had been made (irishtimes.com)
- otherKeogh synchronised his protected disclosure with then deputy and now MEP Luke Flanagan (irishtimes.com)
- otherWhen Flanagan became an MEP, he introduced Keogh to Deputies Mick Wallace and Clare Daly (irishtimes.com)
- otherKeogh's suspicions and distrust went beyond what was reasonable (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe tribunal report is 792 pages long. (irishtimes.com)
- otherGarda Keogh made complaints about 22 episodes which he alleged constituted targeting. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe tribunal investigated complaints of targeting, not the content of the protected disclosure. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe protected disclosure concerned allegations of Garda corruption in Athlone. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe corruption allegations led to a file being submitted to the DPP, who decided not to bring charges. (irishtimes.com)
- otherEarlier tribunal reports by Mr Justice Peter Charleton concerned Sgt Maurice McCabe, Garda Keith Harrison, and matters to do with Tusla. (irishtimes.com)
- otherKeogh served with the Athlone drugs unit for two years until August 2011 (irishtimes.com)
- otherKeogh had a perfect attendance record up to 2011 (irishtimes.com)
- otherDuring 2012 Keogh spent time in an alcohol rehabilitation residential centre (irishtimes.com)
- otherKeogh was absent from work for significant periods during 2013 and 2014 (irishtimes.com)
- otherFlanagan contacted the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission about Keogh's claims (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe day after Keogh's protected disclosure, assistant Garda commissioner Dónall Ó Cualáin was appointed to investigate (irishtimes.com)
- otherKeogh has been on long-term sick leave since 26 December 2015 (irishtimes.com)
- otherÓ Cualáin's report was sent to the DPP and no charges arose (irishtimes.com)
- otherÓ Cualáin said the investigation uncovered suspicions of criminal behaviour by gardaí in Athlone but short of what was required for prosecution (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe complaints included alleged bullying, delays in payment of expenses, and confinement to indoor duty (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 10 Jul2021Garda whistleblower who said he was targeted ‘became irrational’, tribunal finds
Reports the 792-page Disclosures Tribunal finding that Keogh's 22 complaints of being targeted and discredited by senior officers were not substantiated, and that his disclosure was made in good faith but not vexatious.
victim, Nicky Keogh, male, irish (judged from name)Nicky Keoghaccused, Pat Murray, male, named, irish (judged from name)Pat Murray - 9 Jul2021Allegations by Garda whistleblower found to be ‘not justified’
Reports the full 792-page tribunal findings, confirming all 22 complaints were 'not substantiated' and 'unfounded and essentially misconceived', details the specific complaints (micro-supervision, travel expenses, indoor duty, bullying), the legal resources involved (15 senior counsel, 16 junior counsel, nine law firms for 13 parties), and notes the tribunal may conduct further modules on other whistleblowers.
victim, Nicky Keogh, male, irish (judged from name)Nicky Keogh - 8 Jul2021Garda claim of being targeted unfounded, tribunal says
Provides additional detail from the tribunal report, including Keogh's political connections with Luke Flanagan, Mick Wallace and Clare Daly, the finding that his allegations were made in good faith and not frivolous, and the Acting Garda Commissioner's welcome of the report.
victim, Nicky Keogh, male, irish (judged from name)Nicky Keogh - 8 Jul2021Allegations by Garda whistleblower not substantiated, inquiry finds
The tribunal published its full report finding Keogh's 22 alleged instances of targeting were not substantiated, while noting the 'febrile' political atmosphere of 2014 and Keogh's predisposition to suspicion exacerbated by alcohol. An abandoned allegation that former commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan telephoned Supt Pat Murray in April 2015 was noted as revealing Keogh's 'state of mind'.
victim, Nicky Keogh, male, irish (judged from name)Nicky Keoghsuspect, Nóirín O'Sullivan, female, named, irish (judged from name)Nóirín O'Sullivansuspect, Pat Murray, male, named, irish (judged from name)Pat Murray