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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Michael O'Toole

Drew Harris says gardaí will investigate RTE pay scandal if station bosses ask them to

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has said the force is not investigating the RTE payments scandal – but will if bosses in the national broadcaster ask it to.

“We haven't received any complaints,” the Commissioner said this afternoon – when asked if the force was carrying out an investigation into the crisis within the broadcaster.

And, speaking at a meeting of the Policing Authority in Drogheda, Co Louth, he added that he did not see at this stage the need for a probe.

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He said: “We would only engage if there were elements of deception or dishonesty in respect of behaviour.

“And no complaints have been here to my office, and neither do we see that for the moment ourselves.”

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris sitting in on a meeting in public between the policing authority and the Garda Commissioner held in Drogheda, Co Louth. (Mick O'Neill)

But when asked by The Mirror if there should be a probe following the statement by RTE chair Siun Ni Raghallaigh that she believed the payments scandal included a “design to deceive,” Mr Harris said it was up to RTE bosses to make a complaint.

“They would need to bring their concerns to my office,” Mr Harris said this evening.

“We will await developments. Obviously An Garda Siochana is prepared to conduct an investigation if necessary, but we would need to receive a complaint first.

“Obviously we can be proactive if we ascertain crime or the allegation of suspicion of crime.

(L to R) Adrian Lynch Interim Deputy General RTE; Geraldine O Leary Director of Commercial RTE Director; Legal RTE Paula Mullooly; Rory Coveney RTE Director of Strategy; Richard Collins RTE Chief Financial Officer arriving for a Public Accounts Committee (Gareth Chaney/ Collins Photo Agency, Dublin)

“But that's not the position that we're in at the moment.”

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