Irish justice minister Helen McEntee accused of acting 'without legal authority' over Garda whistleblower cover-up

From the Newshound archive · first published 19 September 2026.

Labour justice spokesman Alan Kelly alleged in the Dáil that Helen McEntee "usurped the role" of the Office of the Protected Disclosures Commission by redirecting a protected disclosure directly to An Garda Síochána, in a row that dominated Leaders' Questions. McEntee, standing in for Tánaiste Simon Harris, insisted she had adhered to the law "at all times". The controversy follows an RTÉ Investigates documentary exposing how four current or former Garda personnel were allegedly sidelined and penalised for raising concerns.

Whistleblowers allege the climate for protected disclosures is now WORSE than during the Sgt Maurice McCabe scandal.

Det Supt Brian O'Reilly alleged defective holsters contributed to one garda's accidental shooting and to the murder of Det Garda Colm Horkan in 2020.

Donal Corcoran, who led the Garda's Protected Disclosures Unit, was moved sideways after the unit was reconfigured — and then turned whistleblower himself.