Ordinary investigation methods seemed to have been repeatedly neglected by gardaí who dealt with explosives finds in Co Donegal, counsel for the tribunal said. Mr Peter Charleton SC listed a range of investigations where there was an absence of fingerprinting, forensic analysis and note-taking.
He also questioned the role of senior Garda management in the classification of Ms Adrienne McGlinchey as a reliable IRA "informant", despite evidence from many gardaí to the contrary.
"One might wonder whether those in command in the Donegal division either did not know or chose not to listen to the concerns of those in other ranks of An Garda Síochána," said Mr Charleton.
He added it would be up to the chairman, Mr Justice Morris, to enquire into the legitimacy of Ms McGlinchey as an informant, "and the motivation of those who accepted her throughout all of these events".
The tribunal heard allegations to the effect that Ms McGlinchey planted explosives on the instructions of certain gardaí so that the same officers could then take credit for finding them.
These included alleged plants in Northern Ireland, and specifically Strabane in September 1993.
In this regard, Mr Charleton said: "One wonders what is 'cross-Border co-operation' and how that notion can justify the apparent sweeping under the carpet of the Strabane incident."
He said a question that continually sprung to mind regarded when the Garda planned to end its involvement with Ms McGlinchey.
"As one goes through this narrative, one asks oneself the question as to why the ordinary methodology of investigation was not applied apparently again and again," he added.
Such instances included the lack of a file in relation to the arrest of Ms McGlinchey in December 1992, the failure to preserve the scene of "finds" in Rossnowlagh in 1994, the failure to stake out a house suspected of holding arms, and the repeated failure to do fingerprinting and forensic analysis.
