There was a wide welcome across the political spectrum for the “vindication” of Garda whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe in the Guerin report.

Independent TD Clare Daly said the Garda should be reconstituted and suggested establishing a new police force, similar to how the RUC changed to the PSNI.

Ms Daly also said there are still allegations of Garda malpractice that have to be dealt with such as the investigation into the death of Baiba Saulite, who was shot by a lone man as she stood in the hallway of her home in, Swords, Co Dublin, in 2006.

"What has been revealed is a systemic problem, a dysfunctional relationship between the former minister and the Garda commissioner which has now been exposed and it lays the basis of the construction maybe of a new police force," Ms Daly said, adding that the Department of Justice was also dysfunctional.

'Public respect'
Fianna Fáil justice spokesman Niall Collins said the report is "unequivocal in its vindication" of Sgt McCabe. Reform was needed "to restore the Garda force to the level of public respect that it deserves.

"Never have we experienced such a serious crisis in the gardaí. The sad reality is that it did not have to come to this. By arrogantly dismissing Garda whistleblowers and failing to take their allegations seriously, the Government and senior Garda management did a grave injustice to the vast majority of hardworking gardaí who go above and beyond the call of duty to serve the public interest every day."

Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said the findings of the report vindicated Sgt McCabe "and underline the fact that he should have all his rights as a serving garda restored immediately.

“In all of this we should not lose sight of the serious nature of the issues involved, which include matters of such gravity as assault, abduction, child abuse – or in the manner in which citizens’ rights were ignored and undermined.”

Sgt McCabe last night welcomed the findings, saying it had vindicated him.

“It is a good day after six years of fighting the system. Now I hope my family and I can move on,” he said.

He thanked Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin for taking on his case and forwarding his file on Garda conduct to the Taoiseach.

Sgt McCabe also said he had not been contacted by anyone in senior Garda management after the report was published.

“I am still restricted from accessing Pulse,” he said.