Committee hearing evidence on handling of financial irregularities at Templemore

The Public Accounts Committee is hearing evidence on Wednesday from six civilian members of An Garda Síochána in relation to the handling of financial irregularities at the Garda training college at Templemore.

The witnesses are:

John Barrett is the head of human resources within An Garda Síochána since September 2014.

Mr Barrett has publicly contradicted the Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan on when she became aware of the financial irregularities at Templemore Garda College.

He says the two had a two-hour meeting in July 2015. She says it was a brief exchange over a cup of tea.

Niall Kelly is the head of the internal audit unit since 2007.

His interim report on the college was published in March 2017 and offered an insight into the mismanagement at the Garda College.

He has claimed his unit were shielded from the issues at Templemore as far back as 2008.

Ken Ruane is the head of legal affairs within An Garda Síochána.

Mr Ruane issued a letter in September 2015 urging the Garda Commissioner to inform the Minister for Justice of the problems at Templemore. She did not do so for a further 15 months.

Michael Culhane is Executive Director of Finance in An Garda Síochána, a position he has held for over two decades.

Mr Culhane wrote to Niall Kelly in February 2017 requesting Mr Kelly to make revisions to his interim audit report.

He alleged Mr Kelly had said members of the force would be taken away in handcuffs from Templemore and that issues at the college were comparable to issues at Console.

Michael Howard is the former head of the Garda audit committee. He has since left that position. He was also a former secretary general of the Department of Defence.

In documentation submitted to the Public Accounts Committee Mr Barrett alleged he informed Mr Howard of the issues at Templemore at a meeting in 2015.

The Commissioner held a meeting with Mr Howard a number of days later and Mr Howard and Mr Barrett did not speak of the issues again.

Joseph Nugent is the current chief administrative officer. He has been in the position for 10 months.