RTÉ News has learned that the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission has already investigated some of the allegations of garda malpractice outlined in the Dáil yesterday and the files have since been closed.
The allegations were raised by Sinn Féin TD Martin Kenny, who said they were brought to his attention by garda whistleblowers.
They relate to instances of alleged garda malpractice in the Sligo-Leitrim area.
In a statement released this evening, GSOC said: "The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission listened with concern to the matters brought into the public domain by Deputy Martin Kenny yesterday and today.
"A small number of the cases listed by Deputy Kenny have either already been investigated by GSOC, or are currently under investigation. We will not comment on the investigation of any of the specific cases.
"The Ombudsman Commission has arranged a meeting with Deputy Kenny next week to discuss the matters he has raised."
Sinn Féin said today it has yet to formally bring the allegations to GSOC.
The allegations are widespread and range over an eight-year period
They allege garda informants were mishandled and allowed to continue to engage in criminality, that so-called rogue gardaí were protected and that gardaí were not informed of threats to them.
The GRA said it was not aware of the allegations but Sinn Féin has disputed this.
RTÉ News has now learned GSOC has been aware of some of these allegations.
An intensive investigation lasting a number of years has been conducted and the file was closed at the end with no prosecution.
Mr Kenny repeated his call this afternoon for a full commission of inquiry into the allegations.
He said any inquiry must get the to the core of the allegations by speaking to all involved and should not just review documents.
He said that the garda whistleblowers who came to him have lost faith in GSOC, and that knowing the background behind the cases he does not believe GSOC was justified in not proceeding with a full investigation.
Earlier, a garda on the Central Executive Committee of the Garda Representative Association said that if a TD had information in relation to garda misconduct, it should be brought to GSOC or to the Garda Commissioner.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Ray Wims, GRA representative for the Sligo-Leitrim division, said there has to be confidence in the system set up for investigating such claims.
He was speaking following the allegations made in the Dáil.
Garda Wims said it appears that complaints can be now be made against An Garda Síochána in the Dáil, under the protection of privilege. He said complaints should be brought forward through a formal process.
In relation to the establishment of a Commission of Investigation, Garda Wims said he did not believe that the process that is there for this purpose should be skipped.
Mr Wims added that "there has to be confidence in the system set up to investigate allegations of garda misconduct".
He said the allegations were a complete surprise to him and he had not heard anything about the claims before they were made in the Dáil.
GRA representative calls for allegations of garda malpractice in Leitrim, to be brought to GSOC: https://t.co/gOvJBuxI3f
— Morning Ireland (@morningireland) May 27, 2016
Last night, the Policing Authority told Garda Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan that it requires an urgent response from her in relation to the findings and recommendations of the O'Higgins Report.
Commissioner O'Sullivan held a four-hour meeting with the authority yesterday evening.
The O'Higgins Report was the only item on the agenda.
Government Chief Whip Regina Doherty said the Policing Authority is doing "exactly what it was established to do" and has given the commissioner two weeks to report back to it.
She said organised crime is "the most serious issue" on the desk of An Garda Síochána and "they are addressing it", adding that the numbers of community gardaí in Dublin's north and south inner city need "to be beefed up".
Ms Doherty said gardaí need the support of everyone as morale is low, but despite the depletion of numbers they have done a fantastic job.
