Exclusive: Arms Unit 'spent €2,000 on pistol for Garda's child'

Extra.ie​

13-05-2025

The Garda Firearms Stores bought a €2,000 Olympic-standard air pistol for the child of a member of the force, according to bombshell protected disclosures seen by Extra.ie.
Corroborating protected disclosures from two gardaí to their superiors and the Department of Justice allege that the 'Walther LP500 Olympic standard air pistol was purchased by the [store] despite the organisation having no specific requirement for such an item'.
An internal Garda investigation into the matter uncovered possible criminal activity, but no action was taken, the latest disclosures reveal. Pic: KarlM Photography/Shutterstock
And, in a bizarre twist, senior gardaí, struggling to explain the irregular purchase, allegedly claimed the gun was bought for 'firearms training' for gardaí 'fearful of firearms'.
This is the latest revelation on Extra.ie of gross malpractice around the handling of firearms and gun hardware in the force.
We have previously disclosed the chaotic storage and tracking of hundreds of firearms and the illegal sale of guns for profit by members of An Garda Síochána.
The allegations about the air pistol were originally made by an officer working at the Garda Firearms Stores in protected disclosure a number of years ago. But the claim has again been made by a far more senior, serving officer in recent weeks, in another protected disclosure.
The new whistleblower – who headed up the Garda National Technical Bureau – said in his disclosure: 'The air pistol in question had been specifically purchased by a member of the Garda Firearms Stores Section due to their child having a particular interest in air pistols, and given their child's participation in a hunt and pony club. Pic: File
'While it is understood this allegation is categorically denied by the Garda officer concerned, a realistic explanation as to why an Olympic-standard air pistol was purchased by the Garda organisation at a cost of almost €2,000 is still not forthcoming The claim was first made in 2019, prompting a response that the pistol was used for 'firearms training' for gardaí 'fearful of firearms'.
However, the claim by the new whistleblower, a renowned expert in firearms, that no 'realistic explanation' has been offered casts doubt on the efforts to explain the purchase.
The disclosure reveals: 'An investigation undertaken by [name of senior officer redacted] into the significant disclosures made by a confidential reporter in 2019 and 2020 have already established a clear link between the Garda officer who then held responsibility for Firearms Stores Section and a hunt and pony club.
'It is understood that the investigation team have identified activities concerning the Garda officer and other supervisory staff, which may be classified as criminal in nature.
'However, it is also understood that the Garda Commissioner has taken no action against the individuals concerned, but rather he chose to pursue those who made confidential disclosures in regard to these matters.' Pic: Artur Widak/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
The disclosure added that 'in defending the purchase of the firearm in question, supervisory staff attaching to the Garda Firearms Stores Section have claimed the Olympic-standard air pistol was purchased for the purpose of firearms training, and it was to be utilised by personnel attending the standard or basic firearms training course who were fearful of firearms'.
However, the senior serving Garda whistleblower has said: 'No such accommodations have ever been offered to a participant on a firearms training course.'
In the disclosure, the garda says: 'Anyone with such a fear of firearms has no place on a firearms training course and they merely pose a risk to themselves and other participants. Firearms instructors would actually encourage members to leave the basic or standard firearm training courses if they are not comfortable carrying and using the firearm they are being trained in.
'In qualifying a person to carry and use an official Garda firearm, firearms instructors have a key role in ensuring the future safety of the participant and all those with whom that participant may later engage with in the performance of their duties, and that, as such, instructors would not want those who fear the firearm to remain on the course.'
The emergence of the second whistleblower, who has an unimpeachable record, is a blow to Commissioner Drew Harris, who will leave his post later this year. The emergence of the new whistleblower means many of the initial claims made by the unconnected member of the force in 2019 are now independently corroborated.
On Extra.ie, Labour TD Alan Kelly called for an inquiry into the revelations made by our newspapers.
Last month, Extra.ie revealed documents that said a garda took possession of valuable firearms, earmarked for destruction at the force's HQ, to sell for profit.
The documents are part of a number of protected disclosures that also allege automatic firearms, ammunition and explosives were kept in a shipping container at HQ without any proper documentation, tracing or security.
The garda called the storage facility an 'arms dump' and said it was secured only by a combination padlock, the code of which was known to numerous individuals.
Previously, our sources revealed details of defective firearms holsters that contributed to the June 2020 murder of Detective Colm Horkan.
The latest revelation, according to extracts from the disclosure published here, shows a senior officer backing the claims.
A Garda spokeswoman said: 'An Garda Síochána does not comment on remarks made by any third parties. An Garda Síochána is precluded by law from commenting on any matters that are the subject of protected disclosures.
'An Garda Síochána cannot comment on ongoing investigations being carried out by An Garda Síochána or Fiosrú (formerly GSOC).
'In general, certain matters raised by you have been attended to and discussed by An Garda Síochána with the relevant oversight bodies.'
The Department of Justice was contacted for comment.