The Disclosures Tribunal has heard that a Garda accused of having a relationship with an alleged drug dealer in Athlone described the accusation as “scurrilous, slanderous and unfounded.”

The Tribunal is examining Garda Nicholas Keogh's complaint that he was mistreated by senior Gardaí after making a protected disclosure about alleged wrongdoing in the force.

Extracts of a statement from Garda A – accused of having an improper relationship with an alleged drug dealer, Miss B, in Athlone – were read out to the Tribunal earlier.

In the statement, Garda A describes the allegations made by Garda Nicholas Keogh as being in order to settle a personal grievance.

The tribunal is investigating Garda Keogh's claim that he has been bullied and harassed since making a 2014 protected disclosure about the Athlone Drugs Unit.

It heard from Garda Keogh about his encounter with a woman on May 28th 2014, who was alleging an assault on her daughter by Miss B.

Garda Keogh told the Tribunal she alleged at the public desk there was police collusion in Athlone and Miss B was doing “favours for guards.”

He told the Tribunal he advised her to “name names and name guards” when giving her statement about the assault allegation – but insisted he did not tell her to name Garda A.

The Garda who took the woman's statement reported that she told her Garda Keogh had advised her of what to include in her statement – including allegations about Gardaí and Miss B.

Reporting from Shane Beatty at the Disclosures Tribunal in Dublin Castle