Gsoc to undergo independent review after controversy over Gerard Hutch party

The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (Gsoc) is set to undergo a root and branch review after controversy over one of its investigators attending a party for Dublin criminal Gerard Hutch.

Minister for Justice Simon Harris said the review into Gsoc’s “processes and procedures” will be carried out by an independent examiner, yet to be selected.

It was likely to begin at the conclusion of the Garda’s inquiry into the attendance of the Gsoc investigator at the Hutch house party, he said.

That social gathering was held just hours after Mr Hutch was acquitted by the Special Criminal Court for the 2016 Regency Hotel murder of David Byrne.

The Gsoc investigator resigned after he told colleagues that he had been at the party. It is understood he is still fully cooperating with the investigation.

Detectives from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation have interviewed the man and are now examining if any potential for criminality exists.

When Mr Harris was asked if he could assure people no confidential information held by Gsoc was passed to the Hutch organised crime group, he said the purpose of the Garda inquiry already under way was to determine if any suspected criminality was identified.

“Should a scenario [like the sharing of information with the Hutch gang] have taken place, that would be a very, very serious matter and the appropriate people to investigate that are the gardaí,” he said, speaking to the media at the annual delegate conference of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) in Westport, Co Mayo, on Wednesday.

However, he also stressed the Garda’s work was not concluded, meaning no findings have been arrived at, adding Gsoc was co-operating in full with gardaí.