Cooke report into GSOC bugging may be published this week

The Cooke report into alleged bugging at the headquarters of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission is expected to be published this week.

The report is due to be discussed by Ministers at the weekly meeting of Cabinet today and they are expected to approve its publication.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has been studying the report, described as "detailed and comprehensive", over the weekend. He discussed its contents and conclusions yesterday evening with Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore and, earlier, with the new Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald.

The inquiry was commissioned by Government in February when it was disclosed that the GSOC suspected there were three possible breaches of security at its offices on Capel Street in Dublin.

The matter gave rise to considerable controversy in February when it emerged that at one stage there was a suspicion that the Garda Síochána may have been involved. Senior officers in the force vehemently denied any such authorised surveillance of the GSOC offices.

Public controversy

When the matter became a matter of public controversy, the Government asked a retired judge, Mr Justice John Cooke, to investigate each of the alleged breaches.

He was given copies of the reports conducted by British security firm on behalf of GSOC as well as the report of a desktop ‘peer review’ exercise conducted on behalf of the Department of Justice by a Dublin-based security company.

Two of the figures who were central to the political dispute that arose in February have since stepped down – former garda commissioner Martin Callinan and former minister for justice Alan Shatter.

Last month, the Taoiseach said it might be included in the terms of reference of a commission of inquiry into allegations made by Garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe. They are expected to be published later this month.