Gardaí who followed a vehicle before it was involved in a fatal head-on collision on the M9 acted in accordance with the law and relevant Garda procedures, the police ombudsman has found.
The collision occurred in Co Kildare on August 16 and resulted in four other people being injured.
An Garda Síochána said it welcomed the finding by Fiosrú, the Office of the Police Ombudsman, concerning the actions of the officers before the crash.
The force said its investigation into all the circumstances surrounding the fatal collision remains ongoing.
Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly welcomed the ombudsman’s finding and highlighted the difficult decisions faced by officers dealing with vehicles which may pose a danger to the public.
“I have previously highlighted the really challenging situation members of An Garda Síochána are put in dealing with such incidents as gardaí do what they can to stop such vehicles while also taking into consideration all other road users,” he said.
“I have also spoken publicly about the need for increased statutory protections for gardaí when driving as part of their duty to keep people safe.”
An Garda Síochána said it would continue to provide support to the officers who attended what it described as a “very difficult scene” on the M9.
Speaking at the National Ploughing Championships earlier this week, before the Fiosrú finding was announced, Commissioner Kelly said all of the gardaí involved remained on full duty.
“I want publicly just to thank all the guards who worked around that horrendous incident that night, dealing with obviously a really difficult scene, and even what happened before that,” he said.
“It’s really important that I, as Commissioner, support the members of An Garda Síochána who are out there every night.
“When lots of us are asleep in our beds, they’re out there every night and they’re working hard to keep all our communities safe.”
At the time, Commissioner Kelly said he hoped the Fiosrú investigation would exonerate the officers involved.
An Garda Síochána said its thoughts remained with the four people injured in the collision.