NUI Maynooth has said in a statement that deletion of college research material from a camcorder recording which is the subject of a continuing Garda Ombudsman Commission investigation was 'inadvisable'.

However the university said it was satisfied that the individuals concerned including academics at the college, were acting out of concern for student welfare and a genuine belief that the particular material deleted was not relevant to the inquiry.

The college also said that confidentiality of a research record that was unrelated to the specific incident was also a concern of the individuals.

NUI Maynooth was responding to an interim report by the Garda Ombudsman into remarks made by members of the Gardai serving in Mayo about two women arrested at a Corrib gas protest on March 31st last.