🚨 An Garda Síochána has ‘serious concerns’ with The Ditch: The Party Line As contributor @CianOConcubhair said: ‘The disinformation coming out of An Garda Síochána and the Department of Justice around drugs policing is really astonishing.’ Clip below. An Garda Síochána’s director of communications responds: ‘I wish to raise serious concerns with commentary you carried that accuses the Garda Commissioner of engaging in “disinformation”.   ‘As you are aware, disinformation is false or misleading information that is spread on purpose to trick people, lie to the public, or gain power and money.   ‘As such, your contributor has accused the Commissioner of lying to the public and to the Constitutional Convention when speaking on the de-criminalisation of illegal drugs. This is an incredibly serious charge, which has no basis in fact.   ‘As a matter of fact, the Commissioner, at the invitation of the Chair of the Convention, was providing the expert view of An Garda Síochána based on extensive national and international experience that the de-criminalisation of illegal drugs ultimately benefits organised crime groups, who are engaged in murder, intimidation, slavery and people trafficking.   ‘The Commissioner has said on the public record that An Garda Síochána  supports the health-led approach, which is Government policy.     ‘This is not disinformation – this is based on factual evidence from other jurisdictions that have de-criminalised certain previously illegal drugs.   ‘While contributors are, of course, entitled to express their opinion and to disagree with our stated view, in the interests of fairness and balance, An Garda Síochána should have been provided with an opportunity to provide its view.   ‘There is also an onus on The Ditch to publish factual information. It is not factual to say that the Commissioner engaged in disinformation and I would request that our comments in relation to the de-criminalisation of drugs that are a matter of public record are provided as part of your most recently published article.’