The agency set up to tackle white-collar crime is now operating with around half the gardaí that were originally assigned to it amid what has been described as a “toxic culture”.
This week, four gardaí who had been on secondment to the Corporate Enforcement Authority (CEA) — described as Ireland’s answer to the FBI — were sent back to An Garda Síochána.
Their departure follows the resignation or retirement of two of the three sergeants who had been seconded to the CEA and an inspector who oversaw the original complement of 16 gardaí in the white-collar crime unit.
According to sources in the CEA, a number of the remaining gardaí are considering their positions with the agency amid concerns about the culture. One source said:
They’re looking at what’s going on and can’t get their heads around the kind of toxic culture in the place and the loss of members who were good at the job and eager to do it.
The four gardaí who returned to An Garda Síochána this week did so on the orders of the chief executive of the CEA, Ian Drennan.
It is understood Mr Drennan wanted them sent back to make way for “new blood”.
The Corporate Enforcement Authority also lost its director of criminal enforcement Rebecca Coen, who left earlier this year after only 18 months in the job. File picture
Two of the garda members had been working in the specialised area of white-collar crime for up to 20 years, while the other two had six and three years experience respectively.
An inspector who retired last year has not been replaced.
The gardaí were informed there was no issue with their work or conduct and this was simply a matter of seeking “new blood”.
“There has been a big loss of experience in this area so it doesn’t make much sense,” a source told the Irish Examiner.
The order to move the gardaí out of the CEA resulted in a management dispute in which the officers were represented by the Garda Representative Association but the issue reached a finality this week.
The CEA, which was described in the Dáil as Ireland’s answer to the FBI, also lost the director of criminal enforcement Rebecca Coen, who left earlier this year after only 18 months in the job.
Ms Cohen had formerly worked in the DPP’s office and was highly regarded. She has joined the new gambling regulatory authority.
Ian Drennan was the head of the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, the forerunner to the CEA.
The 2021 act setting up the CEA made provision for up to three members of the authority, including a chairperson.
However, Mr Drennan has been the sole member since its establishment.
As such, he is in charge of the authority and does not have a board to answer to. Instead, he reports directly to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
Ian Drennan is in charge of the Corporate Enforcement Authority and does not have a board to answer to. Instead, he reports directly to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. File picture: Sam Boal/RollingNews
A spokesperson for the CEA confirmed that “four secondments (of gardaí) concluded on 13 May 2025.”
The authority was established on foot of various reports and criticisms of the handling of the prosecution of the Anglo Irish banker Sean FitzPatrick, who has since died.
In 2017, following a lengthy trial, the charges against Mr FitzPatrick were dropped on direction of the trial judge, who criticised how the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) had handled the case.
Earlier this year, it was reported that a cultural audit of the CEA was taking place.
Questions put to the CEA about the size of the current complement of gardaí and a timeline for completion of the cultural audit did not receive any reply.
A spokesperson for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment said that the department is “in regular engagement with the CEA in relation to its requirements”.
In response to a question as to why there was a sole member of the authority, the spokesperson pointed to the legislation that makes provision for the appointment of Mr Drennan under his old job at the ODCE and that there is provision for “up to three members” of the authority.