Unidentified gardai colluded with the IRA in the murder of two RUC officers a Tribunal has found. But it says there is not evidence to suggest it was Garda Owen Corrigan who colluded with the IRA.
The Smithwick Tribunal report was unable to find direct evidence of collusion in the killings.
However Judge Smithwick concludes that, on the balance of probabilities, collusion did occur involving an unidentified member or members of An Garda Síochána.
He says that while two named gardaí - Owen Corrigan and Kevin Colton - had inappropriate relations with the Provisional IRA during the 1990s, there was not enough evidence to link them to the IRA operation that killed the two RUC men.
The killings of Harry Breen and Bob Buchanan on the afternoon of March 20th in 1989 were the subject of the Tribunal.
It has taken the Tribunal over eight years to issue its report and it notes that co-operation from police in the North came at the last minute.
The Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore says he is appalled and saddened by the finding which he says is a matter of grave public concern.
While Justice Minister Alan Shatter says he apologises without reservation on behalf of the government for any failings identified in the report on the part of the State or any of its agencies.
He says he hopes that the report will help the families in their quest for the truth of what happened.
