The Garda Commissioner has said he will meet the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to discuss the failure of the State to secure a murder conviction for the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel.
Drew Harris described the case as "a setback" but said that the investigation into the Hutch Organised Crime Group was continuing.
He also told today's Garda Representative Association conference that he had confidence in the Garda Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) to investigate allegations of garda misconduct.
Commissioner Harris said the investigation into an allegation that a GSOC investigator had attended a party with Gerard Hutch was proceeding as quickly as possible to see if there was any potential criminality.
He added that the Gardaí would report to the DPP if that was appropriate but would also report the outcome of the investigation to the Minister for Justice.
Commissioner Harris said they are examining records in GSOC's office as part of its investigation.
He added that it was a matter of serious and grave concern but an experienced and professional investigation team had been appointed to examine the issue.
The Commissioner insisted the investigation of the Hutch Organised Crime Group (HOCG) and other gangs was a lengthy process but they were determined to bring these individuals to justice on serious charges.
"Our work has not finished," he said.
"My gang is bigger than their gang and we'll keep working away at this.
"We're determined to make Ireland a hard place for organised crime groups to work and to operate, to make this in effect Ireland a hard target and we continue with that goal in mind."
Gerard Hutch not guilty
Commissioner Harris said the Gardaí were "on a long route march here in terms of these crime groups and bringing these individuals to justice for serious charges".
"Yes there will be set backs but the prize is that we actually breakdown these organised crime groups - we are determined to do that," he said.
He also said the question of whether Gerard Hutch should also have been charged with directing a criminal gang or firearms offences was a matter for the DPP.
"The Director of Public Prosecutions is an independent office, a very professional office in the manner they conduct their duties," he said.
He also said that the HOCG remains under active investigation and the Gardaí are still working with the international partners in respect of that criminal grouping.
The HOCG, he said, was involved in extensive criminality and there are other offences to investigate.
Read more: Gardaí begin GSOC inquiry after investigator resigns over link to Hutch party
Jonathan Dowdall
The evidence of the main prosecution witness in the Regency Hotel trial, Jonathan Dowdall, was rejected by the Special Criminal Court which accepted he was a liar.
The Commissioner would not say whether he had been so discredited that he could not be used in future prosecutions insisting that was a matter for the DPP.
Bullying
The Commissioner also addressed a number of issues raised by rank and file gardaí at a conference this morning.
He said he did not believe that "bullying" was widespread in the gardaí and pointed to the cultural audit where he said people reported "very positive relationship with their immediate peers and indeed their immediate supervisors".
He also said there were "sophisticated and developed systems in the organisation to receive reports of bullying and then dealing with those quickly.
"They are all well-developed policies and well-practiced within An Garda Síochána."
New road traffic detection system
The commissioner confirmed that the Gardaí were seeking new road traffic enforcement technology which would detect not just speeding offences but also people not wearing seat belts, using their phones, driving in the bus lanes, blocking junctions and obstructing the free flow of traffic particularly in busy times in cities.
He said the Gardaí wanted to move enforcement to more camera and computer based, to an automatic process, as opposed to every enforcement having to be a single interaction with a garda or speed van.
This he said would free up gardaí on the road to do police work instead of enforcing minor traffic violations.
Defence Forces abuse allegations
Commissioner Harris also said the Gardaí have received additional complaints about alleged sexual abuse in the Defence Forces but appealed to other victims to come forward.
He said he had met the Women of Honour group and planned to arrange a further briefing for them to explain the work of the protective services bureau and how these investigations would develop.
"I would urge and appeal for those individuals to come forward to us, we have professional experienced detective service available to you," he said.
