Garda Commissioner allegedly found Dublin Airport employee posed risk to State security

High Court Reporters

The Garda Commissioner purportedly upheld the withdrawal of a Dublin Airport technician’s security clearance after finding his “ability to facilitate nefarious activity” within the airport poses a security risk to the State, having regard for “what is known” about his “associates”.

Christopher Doyle (34), an employee of Dublin Aerospace since June 2022, lost his airport security clearance last November after failing a Garda “security intelligence check”, rendering him unable to work.

In proceedings that came before Ms Justice Mary Rose Gearty this week, Mr Doyle, of Claremont Lawns, Glasnevin, Dublin 11, wants the High Court to quash the Garda Commissioner’s purported decision to dismiss his appeal of the failed security check.

According to his court documents, Mr Doyle suspects that the failed security check arises from an incident in November last year, when he recorded another Dublin Aerospace employee pledging his support for Gerard ‘The Monk’ Hutch’s 2024 general election campaign.

Mr Doyle did not share the video to social media, but did send it to a number of his friends in a WhatsApp message. However, the video eventually surfaced on social media, where it was posted to various platforms by accounts connected to Mr Hutch’s campaign.

Mr Hutch, named in court as the head of the Hutch organised crime group, narrowly missed out on winning a seat in Dublin Central constituency last November.

The Garda Commissioner is ultimately responsible for undertaking security checks of Dublin Airport employees, according to Mr Doyle’s court documents.

In December, Mr Doyle appealed the decision to fail his security check.

In April, Mr Doyle says the Garda Commissioner wrote to him, declining his appeal of the security clearance failure.

“In my view, given what is known in relation to a number of your associates, a risk potentially arises around your ability to facilitate nefarious activity within restricted areas of the airport thus creating what I consider to be an unacceptable security threat to Dublin Airport and by extension the State,” the commissioner stated, according to Mr Doyle’s documents.

Mr Doyle says he has no criminal convictions and is not involved in criminality. He says that as far as he is aware, none of his family or associates have any links to criminality, and none are involved in any conduct that would justify withdrawing his security clearance.

Remy Farrell SC, appearing with Eoin Sreenan BL for Mr Doyle, on Monday sought permission to bring proceedings seeking an order quashing the Garda Commissioner’s appeal determination.

It is Mr Doyle’s case that the decision not to recommend him for security clearance is “unreasonable, unlawful, irrational”, and is in breach of his constitutional rights and fair procedure.

Ms Justice Gearty gave permission to counsel to bring the proceedings against the Garda Commissioner and the Minister for Justice, with Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) a notice party in the action.

In March, Mr Doyle brought separate proceedings against DAA, the Minister for Justice and the Garda, seeking to compel the completion of his appeal of the failed security check.

The proceedings were struck out after the Garda Commissioner communicated his decision on the appeal to Mr Doyle.