Alan Farrell, Fine Gael TD
On RTÉ Radio One’s Late Debate with Audrey Carville last night, the panel discussed the matter of Sgt Maurice McCabe – whose complaints prompted the Guerin report which will be published today – and how the serving officer still doesn’t have full access to PULSE.
On the panel were Brian Dowling, of RTÉ’s political staff; Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, Sinn Fein TD Donegal North East; Alan Farrell, Fine Gael TD Dublin North; and Dearbhail McDonald, Legal Affairs Editor at the Irish Independent.
During the debate, Mr Farrell said, among other things, that it was his belief Sgt McCabe’s access or non-access to PULSE is a matter for An Garda Síochána alone and that his access was curtailed because, Mr Farrell claimed, he put information into the public domain. His comments resulted in Sgt McCabe contacting the show and asking for an apology and for Mr Farrell to withdraw the comments.
Alan Farrell: “I think we have to remind the people listening, or just perhaps for the purposes of this discussion to remind people as to why this particular officer had his access to PULSE withdrawn in the first place.”
Padraig Mac Lochlainn: “To shut him down, to shut him down…”
Farrell: “No, no, no, no, no, hang on, you can disagree with me all you like in relation to the fact that he should or should not have access, which I believe is a matter for the gardaí to decide. I’m not disputing that aspect. What I’m suggesting is, and what has been, it’s been a point that’s been made on a number of occasions is that the officer had his right withdrawn because of the fact that there was information going into the public domain, that he was putting into the public domain, that should not have been put…”
Mac Lochlainn: “No, no, no, hold on, look, hold on now, let’s be very clear, no, no, no, be very careful where you’re going here, Alan. Be very careful because what Sgt McCabe did was he gave the information to members of the Oireachtas, he gave it to all delegated authorities, under the Garda Síochána Act legislation, he did absolutely nothing wrong.”
Talk over each other.
Mac Lochlainn: “Let me finish. Your understanding is wrong so be careful where you’re going with this. Let’s be very, very clear. Sgt Maurice McCabe, rather than be interviewed by the Assistant Commissioner John O’Mahony’s team, when they carried out there internal investigation in that dark period, I have to say. Rather than that, and the Garda Commissioner asserting that he had instructed Sgt McCabe to cooperate. What actually emerged, because Maurice McCabe taped the conversation, lucky for him, is that he was told to have no access to the PULSE system and to not cooperate with any third party further. So they tried to shut him down and, as we speak, he’s still being shut down. And it’s absolutely shocking to hear a Government TD say that there is no role for us in questioning why senior gardaí are not supporting Sgt Maurice McCabe, why he’s having to make internal complaints. And what message are we sending out to other officers who want to come forward and tell what’s happening. So I commend the officers who are coming forward this week. And I encourage any officers, who have anything to bring forward, to do..”
Farrell: “Can I just reiterate that that’s not the point that I was making, at all. I didn’t make that point. The point that I’m making is that internal disciplinary matters of An Garda Síochána, specifically with regard to access to PULSE is what I’m referring to, is a matter for the Garda Commissioner.”
Mac Lochlainn: “Yeah, they’re wrong.”
Later
Audrey Carville: “Alan, just back to you before the end of the programme. Maurice McCabe has been on to us, as we said, in relation to what you said in terms of him putting the information into the public domain. He wants a withdrawal of the remark and an apology.”
Farrell: “Well, I, I want to listen back to what I said but it is clear that I misspoke and I’d like to apologise for that. There was no malice intended but I’ll have to review that.”
Carville: “Do you withdraw?”
Farrell: “I do, I do.”
Carville: “Ok, that’s grand.”
Listen back in full here
Previously: “Hold on, hold on, hold on”
