GNIB head investigated for allegedly failing to probe gardaí

The head of the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) was investigated for allegedly failing to act on criminal intelligence information suggesting Athlone gardaí were committing serious crimes.

Detective chief superintendent Aidan Minnock – now head of GNIB – was among several gardaí subjected to an internal disciplinary investigation over allegations they didn’t act on claims that Athlone gardaí were involved in criminal activity.

Then assistant commissioner Fintan Fanning ordered the investigation. Weeks after he’d done so, Minnock initiated an unsuccessful internal grievance procedure against him.

The garda press office won’t disclose the outcome of the internal investigation into the allegations against Minnock, but The Ditch understands that no findings were made against him.

‘Fanning was trying his best to get drugs issues into the tribunal’

In early 2018 assistant commissioner Fintan Fanning, now retired, ordered an internal investigation into claims that senior Athlone officers ignored intelligence reports implicating gardaí in drug dealing.

Weeks later, in March 2018, then chief superintendent Aidan Minnock brought an unsuccessful grievance procedure against Fanning.

Garda management dismissed this grievance in July that year.

Minnock later claimed in a statement that another senior garda told him Fanning was targeting senior gardaí so that the Disclosures Tribunal would investigate “drugs issues” in Athlone.

Minnock said in his statement he thought this was why Fanning was “targeting” him.

“On the 8 June, 2018, I got a phone call from chief superintendent (Pat) Murray. He stated that he was talking to executive director John Barrett, who told him that assistant commissioner Fanning was trying his best to get garda (Nicky) Keogh's complaint and drugs issues from Athlone into the tribunal. That's why he is targeting senior people like myself and chief superintendent (Aidan) Glacken,” said Minnock in his statement to the Disclosures Tribunal in April 2019.

Minnock was based in Athlone from December 2010 until October 2017, when he moved to Trim garda station. He returned to Athlone station as a superintendent in June 2019 and remained until October 2020. He received another promotion in October 2022, when he was appointed detective chief superintendent and made head of the GNIB.

“An Garda Síochána does not comment on internal HR or disciplinary procedures,” said a spokesperson in a statement to The Ditch.