Judge grants Garda whistleblower leave to challenge WRC media exclusion

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

The High Court granted Detective Superintendent Brian O’Reilly leave to pursue judicial review challenging the Workplace Relations Commission’s decision to exclude reporters from his hearing. Judge Garrett Simons said any departure from public hearings must be strictly justified and that it was arguable the WRC had not justified holding O’Reilly’s case behind closed doors.

O’Reilly, acting head of the Garda National Technical Bureau, says he was penalised and had his pay reduced after making protected disclosures about Garda work practices. He raised concerns that leather gun holsters used by armed gardaí were unsafe and could endanger officers and the public. The claims about his treatment and the holsters remain allegations in the reported material.