The Association of Garda Sergeants has strongly criticised the Garda Ombudsman for issuing a statement about complaints about gardaí which have yet to be validated.
Yesterday GSOC said it had received more than 70 complaints about the force's policing during the Covid-19 pandemic. However the association representing middle-ranking gardaí said they were very disappointed with GSOC because it is the statutory body that can decide the admissibility of a complaint.
AGSI General Secretary Antoinnette Cunningham questioned why the Ombudsman would issue such a statement in the middle of the current crisis when they do not know if the complaints it has received meet the legal criteria.