Senior garda challenges media exclusion following disclosures regarding 'unsafe' gun holsters

A detective superintendent at the Garda National Technical Bureau has secured an expedited High Court hearing to challenge a decision by the Workplace Relations Commission to exclude media from his case. Det Supt Brian O'Reilly is seeking to overturn a WRC ruling that his matter should be heard in private, citing claimed sensitivities. He alleges he suffered workplace detriment after making protected disclosures regarding defective gun holsters used by armed gardaí, which he contends posed safety risks to officers and the public. Det Supt O'Reilly has raised concerns that leather holsters supplied for Garda use may have contributed to an accidental shooting in June 2020. He claims his pay was reduced and he experienced other workplace penalties following his disclosures. The High Court will hear his judicial review application tomorrow before Mr Justice Garret Simons.