An old joke: asking what’s the difference between apples and oranges, the answer being there’s no such thing as apple bastards. An acquaintance once told it to my family and was embarrassed when he found out my father’s a Protestant.

A senior garda made contradictory statements during an internal probe into claims he failed to adequately investigate corruption allegations against an Athlone garda.

Dublin Airport’s security procedures were changed the day after an investigation commenced at the airport in response to a whistleblower raising concerns with the Department of Transport.

Ex-detective garda Tom Higgins, named in an intelligence file linking him to the drug trade, was previously investigated over his alleged involvement in a tax scam.

In 2002 footage emerged of gardaí viciously assaulting people engaged in a peaceful Reclaim the Streets protest on May Day in Dublin city centre. One of these guardians of the peace was captured on video using his baton to beat a protester over the head. His display earned him the nickname Robocop.