The Garda Commissioner could be forced to answer questions in public about the O’Higgins Commission - and the treatment of whistleblowers.

The Policing Authority plans to hold two public meetings with the Commissioner to discuss issued raised by the O’Higgins report.

Noirin O’Sullivan’s meeting with the new independent Policing Authority yesterday was only due to last for about two hours. In the end it went for almost four.

In a hard-hitting statement afterwards, the Policing Authority said it would hold two more hearings next month - which would NOT be held behind closed doors.

The treatment of whistleblowers, including Maurice McCabe, was discussed - but the Authority’s statement focussed on broader issues around the systematic problems with the Garda force.

The authority says it has ‘serious concern’ about the systematic failures and their impact on victims, and it’s ‘dismayed’ about how the issues raised by O’Higgins had not been dealt with after being highlighted by earlier tribunals and reports.

It’s also asked for the Garda policy on Protected Disclosures to be published as soon as possible, and a formal Garda response outlining HOW the recommendations from Justice O’Higgins will be implemented.