Gardaí who inform on their colleagues will be protected by the law with new whistleblower rules published today.
Under the regulations, effective from April 30th, gardaí and civilian employees will be able to spill the beans to a designated officer in confidence if they have concerns about a colleague's misconduct.
The regulations are intended to protect whistle blowers who tip off superiors, so that their identity will be protected and they will not be disciplined for informing on colleagues. Bullies who try to intimidate them following the report will face disciplinary action.
Speaking today, Minister for Justice Michael McDowell TD said this was "an important development" that was made "following discussions with the Garda representative associations and with their agreement".
The new regulations have been introduced to combat corruption and malpractice within the force, and the independent Garda ombudsman will play a role in investigations into confidential reports.