A Garda investigation is under way to identify members of the force who produced “malicious” and harassing WhatsApp messages about their female colleagues. These messages were circulated in gardaí circles.

The investigation is headed by the Garda Anti-Corruption Bureau.

Policing Authority member Elaine Byrne described the messages as “offensive, false, inappropriate, malicious”.

She said they amounted to “bullying behaviour”.

In some of the messages, a female senior officer in the Garda was targeted. The message claimed the individual had been involved in a drink-driving incident, even though no such crime had taken place.

In other cases, messages claimed named members of the Garda were “scabs” because they had worked overtime on a day when rank and file gardaí decided to withdraw from voluntary overtime as a form of industrial action in a dispute over next Garda rosters.

The Garda Deputy Commissioner Anne Marie McMahon on Thursday told a meeting of the Policing Authority that some of the messages, which were spread in recent weeks, may have been generated and shared on Garda-issue mobile phones.

Ms McMahon described the messages as offensive.

Chairman of the Garda Commission Bob Collins, noted some of the messages were directed against a particular female Garda member.

He said the "speed and apparent recklessness with which the messages spread had resulted in Garda Commissioner Drew Harris sending a circular to all Garda members warning those responsible to desist and urging those targeted to come forward and seek supports".

In a statement made by the Gardaí, which was sent to all members, it said: "A number of entirely unacceptable communications, particularly on WhatsApp, have come to the attention of the Commissioner. These offensive and inaccurate communications targeting named Garda Personnel contain utterly inappropriate and false material and malicious commentary".

the statement continues, "Such is the Commissioner’s concern in particular for the named individuals so targeted and more generally and pursuant to his responsibilities to all Garda personnel, I am instructed to put all personnel engaged in the creation or ‘sending on’ of such repugnant material on notice to desist from such conduct forthwith".

Today's investigation comes shortly after an announcement on Tuesday that a 'record' number of gardaí are leaving the force according to the Garda Representative Association.