Chair of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Sinn Féin TD John Brady, has called for full transparency from An Garda Síochána regarding recent investigations into cash disappearing from storage, after new figures released to PAC show a significant increase in incidences.
Teachta Brady said:
“The information provided to PAC following my request is deeply concerning and marks a significant increase on reported figures from previous years.
“We now know that between 2020 and 2025, at least 41 separate investigations have been opened into cash taken in as evidence that subsequently went missing, with 11 of those investigations still ongoing.
“This number of cases is doubly alarming, as the former Garda Commissioner previously confirmed to the committee that An Garda Síochána hold €40 million in cash evidence – money that neither PAC or the Comptroller and Auditor General have any line of sight on.
“I will be contacting the new Garda Commissioner for a full breakdown of the details of these cases.
“We need full transparency regarding the outcomes of these investigations, the value of money involved in each case, and whether that money was ever recovered.
“We also need reassurance that the disappearance of cash did not impact adversely on the ongoing cases that the money was being retained for.
“The Gardaí should also outline their approach in terms of these investigations, whether they were internal disciplinary proceedings or if they were elevated to criminal investigations.
“This all raises broader concerns around the way in which An Garda Síochána handles the storage of evidence, in particular cash, drugs, and firearms – issues that have been continually highlighted in independent reports.
“We will continue to scrutinise this on PAC in order to ensure that outstanding questions are answered, that significant reforms are implemented, and that An Garda Síochána is held to the highest standards in how it manages evidence.”
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