A Sinn Féin TD has told the Dáil that a recent RTÉ Investigates report, which revealed allegations of the unlawful use of a replica Peace Commissioner's signature stamp at a Garda station, is a "major concern."
It also revealed that a Garda whistleblower made a protected disclosure to GSOC in 2019 about a practice in which gardaí at a station in the east of the country used a replica of a Peace Commissioner's signature stamp when making statutory declarations in court summonses.
Earlier today, Sinn Féin TD for Louth, Ruairí Ó Murchú, told the Dáil: "GSOC has indicated that certain criminal convictions recorded over recent years in a District Court could be invalid. Given the potential scale of the issue, this is obviously a major concern."
Mr Ó Murchú also noted that GSOC's investigation had corroborated the claims made by the whistleblower.
"Such declarations are, of course, part and parcel of everyday court activities in both civil and criminal cases," he said.
"We are looking at a case where we could have convictions that may be overturned and a huge amount of work that has been done," Mr Ó Murchú said.
Mr Ó Murchú was speaking today during a Dáil debate concerning criminal justice legislation.
When the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, Catherine Connolly TD, told him that the topic of discussion related to a criminal justice amendment, Mr Ó Murchú replied: "I think these are questions that would relate to the Minister. I would like that she would take the opportunity at a later stage to answer them, and when she became aware and what can be done. "
In response to initial queries from RTÉ Investigates, GSOC said that because the matter was related to a protected disclosure, it could not comment because of its obligations under legislation.
The Department of Justice also told RTÉ Investigates that it could not comment.
Meanwhile, the Garda Press Office told RTÉ Investigates that GSOC had raised a "potential issue with An Garda Síochána in relation to the issuing of summons in one station in the east of the country."
It said that the local Superintendent conducted an audit and put in place "measures to mitigate the risk of such a matter occurring," adding that there had been no further reports of such matters occurring since then.
"Neither the GSOC investigation nor the internal Garda audit identified any wrongdoing by any individual Garda in relation to this matter," the Garda Press Office said.
