Garda Commissioner Noirin O’Sullivan
The Disclosures Tribunal will resume in two weeks’ time on Monday, September 18 – two days before the Dáil resumes.
The tribunal is investigating claims of an orchestrated smear campaign against Garda whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe, by former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan and with the knowledge of the current Garda Commissioner Noirin O’Sullivan, as alleged by the former Head of the Garda Press Office Supt Dave Taylor.
The tribunal released an opening statement in February in which it stated that, there were 15 phones which were of interest to the tribunal’s investigators but only four had been located at that point.
Further to this…
John Mooney, in yesterday’s Sunday Times, reported:
Garda Headquarters has so far been unable to account for what happened to certain phones, which the tribunal wants to have forensically examined to extract data, emails and internet browsing histories.
Charleton’s team has taken possession of at least two of the six phones once used by Callinan, who retired from his position amid controversy in 2014.
The tribunal team has yet to recover mobile phones used by O’Sullivan, who succeeded Callinan.
She used at least six mobile phones during the period under investigation. A smartphone she used while deputy commissioner in charge of operations, and which is of particular significance to the tribunal, is said to be lost.
Of 15 mobile phones the tribunal has sought, fewer than six have been located so far by gardai. Other pieces of IT hardware, including iPads used by O’Sullivan and laptop computers, have been surrendered.
In addition, Mr Mooney reported:
“The tribunal recently interviewed both civilian staff and gardai who worked at the garda press office at relevant times to ascertain if they had knowledge of any media strategy against McCabe. The witnesses have denied knowledge of any conspiracy. It is understood their evidence has been accepted by investigators working for Charleton.”
Investigators step up search for officers’ missing mobiles (John Mooney, The Sunday Times)
Previously: Absence Of Malice
