Lennon and Detective Garda Noel McMahon, faked a series of explosives finds in the border county in 1993 and 1994. Findings of culpability in respect of individual members of the Garda Síochána were made. The extent of culpability ranged from instances of negligence to, in the cases of Superintendent Lennon and Detective Garda McMahon, of corruptly orchestrating the planting of ammunition and hoax explosives. Chief Supt Denis Fitzpatrick, who was cited as being 'gravely at fault' in not investigating the activities Lennon and McMahon relating to implicating a person as IRA informer, took early retirement from the Garda in July 2004. Lennon, who was suspended on full pay in August 2002 on foot of the Frank Shortt* affair and was fired from the Garda in October 2004. McMahon resigned from the force before the Garda Commissioner could dismiss him from the force. (* Frank Shortt, a Donegal publican, was adjudged to have been wrongly convicted by "perjured Garda evidence" following "a conspiracy to concoct false evidence" by McMahon and Lennon.) The report also makes general recommendations arising from its findings, including the need for a more pro-active role for Garda Headquarters in the management of Garda Divisions, the need for improved recording and reporting of incidents, the immediate restoration of the discontinued practice of members of Inspector rank and above keeping daily official journals, the need for an urgent review of policy in relation to the handling of informants, and the need for a specific obligation on members of the Garda Síochána to account truthfully for any actions taken in the course of duty, with failure to account constituting a serious breach of discipline warranting dismissal. The report also, while it makes no specific recommendation on the matter, questions the adequacy of the Garda promotion system in identifying and advancing persons with the necessary aptitude and skills, and calls for the system to be looked at (and in fact significant changes are already underway as part of the Garda reform process). Report 2 Richard Barron The second report in June 2005 concerned the Barron Investigation module, which looked at events following the hit and run death on 14 October 1996 of cattle dealer Richie Barron, which police mistakenly treated as a murder inquiry; and hoax extortion calls received by Michael and Charlotte Peoples on 9 November 1996. The second report exposed further evidence of lies, malice and incompetence among the