OMBUDSMAN WIDENS PROBE INTO GARDA DRUG COLLUSION

Suspicion Grows That Heroin Dealer Was 'Permitted' To Import Hard Drugs

The Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) is examining scores of
drug seizures, arrests and covert operations involving Kieran Boylan,
a convicted heroin dealer whose relationship with the force is the
subject of a collusion inquiry following an expose by The Sunday Times.

The garda ombudsman now suspects that Boylan was "permitted" to
import huge quantities of heroin, cocaine and cannabis, which he
supplied to low-level dealers, who were later arrested, while he
continued to wholesale drugs to other criminal gangs.

The scope of the GSOC inquiry has been extended to examine other
startling claims, among them allegations that gardai informed Boylan
that he was being targeted by other garda units. Personal details on
gardai were also leaked to the criminal.

The disclosure has prompted calls for Fachtna Murphy, the garda
commissioner, to stand down an internal inquiry he set up to examine
Boylan's relationship with members of the force.

Murphy established the in-ternal inquiry in June before drug
trafficking charges against Boylan, 37, over a 1.7m find of heroin
and cocaine seized at a truckers yard in Ardee, Co Louth, in October
2005, were dropped during an unlisted court appearance.

Boylan had threatened to reveal his knowledge of extra-judicial garda
operations if his trial had proceeded.

Fine Gael and the Labour party now believe that Garda Headquarters
should have no further involvement in any investigation into Boylan.

"Internal garda inquiries are no longer satisfactory in matters as
serious as that involving Kieran Boylan," said Charlie Flanagan, the
Fine Gael spokesman on justice issues.

"It is entirely inappropriate for the gardai to conduct any
investigation into this case by way of an internal inquiry. There is
an issue of confidence and trust in the operations of the Garda
Siochana at this stage."

The affair was raised on three occasions in the Dail last week by
opposition TDs following the broadcast of a Prime Time Investigates
programme on RTE television about the drugs trafficker.

The Labour party is planning to bring the garda commissioner before
the next sitting of the Dail justice committee to answer questions
about the affair. Joe Costello, a party TD, said: "I think the most
appropriate way of getting answers would be to bring Commissioner
Murphy before a committee where he can be questioned. The justice
committee would be the most appropriate Dail committee to do this."

Murphy has refused to answer questions about his personal knowledge
of garda operations which involved Boylan.

A garda spokesman refused to say whether or not Murphy would shut
down the internal garda inquiry into Boylan.

"In view of the fact that the matter you refer to is the subject of
an inquiry by the Garda Ombudsman, it would be inappropriate to
comment," said a garda spokesman.