Commissioner says garda not put at risk

The Garda Commissioner, Mr Noel Conroy, has denied an allegation that the life of a garda was put at risk when a surveillance operation was cancelled after a row over funding.

In a rare statement issued through the Garda Press Office Mr Conroy said no vital operation has been curtailed due to funding.

His comments followed a discussion on RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland programme. A contributor to the programme, Sunday World journalist Paul Williams, alleged a cancelled surveillance operation had put the life of a garda at risk.

He said gardaí from the National Surveillance Unit, Louth-Meath division and Emergency Response Unit had mounted a surveillance operation at a house near Virginia, Co Cavan, where a known gang was storing arms.

He said the operation was withdrawn when a dispute emerged about who would pay for it.

Subsequently, in May, a garda encountered the gang members accidentally at the house. On realising he was a garda, they tried to abduct him. Reinforcements were called and a number of shots were fired. The garda was uninjured.

However, Mr Conroy said the operation in question was not curtailed in any way due to lack of funds. He added that he was satisfied with the level of resourcing in the force.