The Policing Authority is to investigate reports the Garda Commissioner used an unsecured email account to send and receive sensitive information.

Its reported an email account used by Noirin O'Sullivan had been compromised in an internet attack in 2012.

Yesterday's Sunday Times said the account may have been created because the official Garda email system does not allow users to download attachments.

This lunchtime the Policing Authority says it "will follow this up with the Garda Síochána and brief ourselves during the course of the week."