The Policing Authority has criticised the Gardaí for allowing whistleblowers to be punished for making disclosures.

It's one of several criticisms made in a general review about the protected disclosures system within the force, delivered today after being ordered by justice minister Frances Fitzgerald in June.

The report takes issue with Garda rules, which allow a member to be disciplined if they make claims "for malicious reasons".

The Authority says whistleblowing laws do not allow an employer to consider the motives for someone making a complaint.

The force said it would look at alternative wording, but also wanted to make sure people were protected from any complaints made without reasonable belief.

It also asked Gardai to change the system where all complaints are directed to a single officer, although Gardaí said this was supposed to ensure all disclosures were handled by an appropriate outsider.

And it also said the procedures outlined to Gardai was incomplete and did not fully outline all of the legal options available to them.