A review by the Policing and Community Safety Authority has raised concerns about the absence of substance abuse testing and in-service vetting for serving gardaí.
The findings follow an assessment of the recommendations made in the 2020 Garda Síochána Inspectorate report on Countering the Threat of Internal Corruption.
The authority found that key measures aimed at strengthening internal oversight and safeguarding professional standards remain underdeveloped, with gaps in drug and alcohol testing highlighted as a priority issue.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, PCSA chairperson Dr Elaine Byrne said senior leadership in An Garda Síochána have expressed "deep concern about the use of drug taking by a minority of members and staff and that is borne out by various convictions that we've seen come through the courts".
She said there are almost 19,000 members and staff in An Garda Síochána and "they're representative of the Irish public. And as with the Irish public, there are elements who use drugs and the gardaí are no different."
In relation to the delay in substance testing, she said: "The guards have undergone a significant period of reform with the introduction of the new act, the Policing Community Safety Authority Act, and within that there's been a whole series of regulations on the behaviours of guards.
"I don't believe this is something that the garda leadership or indeed the Minister [for Justice] is opposed to.
"I think the pace of it is something that concerns the authority, and it's something we'll be discussing on Thursday at our public meeting with the leadership of An Garda Síochána."
On internal vetting, Dr Byrne said "like drug testing, it's not controversial. It's used in many other jurisdictions."
"It checks the background, the conduct, the financial situation and associations of people."
She said that it is done when people first join the force, but not afterwards, and "people’s lives change".
She said gardaí have access to sensitive databases, criminal intelligence etc., and vetting can help at an early stage by possibly detecting links to organised crime, undisclosed relationships or debts that individuals may have, that could potential compromise their position within the force.
