[From top: Alan Shatter and Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan; Garda Whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe and Garda confidential recipient Oliver Connolly]

Several TDs have read into the record certain sections of a transcript of a conversation between Garda Confidential Recipient, Oliver Connolly and Garda whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe.

We have been provided with a full transcript of that conversation [below].

The confidential recipient’s role is to receive information from whistleblowers in the force and present it to the Justice Minister.

Oliver Connolly was appointed as a confidential Garda liaison by Justice Minister Alan Shatter in 2011. Mr Connolly had donated €1,000 to Mr Shatter’s campaign for the 2011 General Election and Mr Shatter was trained as a mediator by Friary Law, the company owned by Mr Connolly.

Sgt McCabe had given Mr Connolly a report containing a number of allegations of Garda wrongdoing.

The follow-up meeting took place in a Dublin hotel on Thursday, February 9, 2012.

At the meeting Sgt McCabe was told that the Justice Minister had referred his complaints to Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan and that no further action would be taken. We have redacted certain names.

Maurice McCabe:  “Sure it’s a joke really Oliver, when you see it. Like the minister should go to someone independent to look at it. Like what do I do with all the falsification of records and now even the Minister is now saying, now saying that everything was OK.”

Oliver Connolly: “What he’s saying basically is there is no actual evidence against the Commissioner.”

McCabe : “He is believing the Commissioner and not me. So, it’s a joke, isn’t it really Oliver?”

Connolly:  “Look…”

McCabe: “Like almost all the incidents involved were upheld in other words I was right.”

Connolly: “Yes but it’s your allegation of malpractice and corruption against the…”

McCabe:  “No but do you see what he says in the letter it’s he says it was an investigation by [REDACTED] and there is no evidence.”

Connolly: “Well I have to tell you there is nothing in the regulations preventing you, you can make as many confidential reports as you wish and you can actually point out, the only way I can go to the actual minister is if you actually directly implicate the Commissioner.”

McCabe: “But sure I did?”

Connolly: “Only in so far and he made a flawed appointment.”

McCabe: “No I said that he should have been aware.”

Connolly: “You probably exhausted, you probably exhausted the limits of the office.”

McCabe: “I have yeah. So in other words you can go nowhere else except to court.”

Connolly:  “Probably. I mean the minister has given me a three-page letter; it’s more than he gives to most people.”

McCabe : “But I’m sure if the minister read it, he did read it?”

Connolly:  “Shatter would have read your report in detail, I know he did, he communicated with me and he will have read all of your exhibits, which I actually labelled them numbered one to nine in the actual, in the order they were highlighted so he did know. And you know I redacted, the only thing I redacted was your name. Alan studied everything in fact I know he did.”

McCabe: “Yeah but do you see the flaw in the system Oliver he goes back to the commissioner, if anyone complains against the……”

Connolly: “You were guarded in the report I have to say in implicating the Commissioner directly you even gave him a way out, you actually said on page 3 he may not be…”

McCabe: “He may not be…”

Connolly: “Yes but the point is and I know what you are saying . I mean I have to say I am surprised.”

McCabe: “I showed you.”

Connolly: “There are other issues that…”

McCabe: “I showed you the records Oliver.”

Connolly: “There are other issues I am aware of that are not related to you at all, course they’ll go to the Commissioner. But I’m very surprised he pushed the man’s appointment, so he was appointed was he?”

McCabe:- “Yeah, he’s now a Chief Superintendant based on what the commissioner told him.”

[they discuss the appointment]

McCabe: “But Oliver what do you do then with all the falsification of records? What do I do with them? What do I do with the hundreds of cases that haven’t been investigated? What do I do with innocent people being set up.”

Connolly: “I tell you Maurice, the only thing I’ll say to you is….”

McCabe: “What?”

Connolly: “Use the public forum of the courts.”

McCabe: “Yeah.”

Connolly: “What I would say to you is I still think you should go for mediation, I don’t think they want all this in the broadcast media. I think you should, you should have your submissions in. I give you some advice, your solicitor and [Michael] McDowell are now aware of it. If you can get them in  the court would be happy to accept mediation. And you go in there looking for the numbers and whatever else you want you’ll get it. If stuff was to get out into the public, the print media, it must only come from what happens in the courtroom. I’ll tell you something Maurice and this is just personal advice to you. If Shatter thinks your screwing him, you’re finished.”

McCabe: “Right.”

Connolly: “Forget about it, I mean he is dealing with a lot of shit at the moment, and what I’m saying to you is if stuff is to get into print or broadcasting media, it comes public before the court not any other way. If Shatter thinks it’s you, if he thinks or is told by the Commissioner or the Gardaí here’s this guy again trying another route trying to put pressure on, he’ll go after you.”

McCabe: “Alan Shatter?”

Connolly: “Yeah I mean he will.”

McCabe:-“Alan Shatter will go after me?”

Connolly: “Yes, if he thinks, if he thinks, if he thinks and this is a conclusive finding you don’t know it, you don’t know if it’s Gardaí, it’s none of my business,. What I’m saying to you, if you’re going to kill a king, if you’re going to strike, and I mean in the public forum of the courts with the former AG [McDowell], they’ll be all terribly interested. The broadcasting media will get a field day on your case, it’s actually the only forum to speak to them. Then what will happen with the minister, all’s fair in love and war, if he’s told you see I gave it personally on the day and I’d be very careful. No intermediaries.”

McCabe: “No, no and I’ll give you my word.”

Connolly: “…but what I’m saying to you, you have to that day what you will have to do if Shatter if this turns, he’ll turn with you , he’s scaremongering with the Commissioner, but he’s too close [to the Commissioner].”

McCabe: “But how is that?’

Connolly: “That’s a relationship they [Callinan and and Shatter] forged [during the] Obama [visit]. He [Shatter] was only in the job a month and he had the Queen of England and the President of the United States [visiting] and he’s Minister of Justice and Defence and he has to work very closely [With Callinan] because both their careers, everything is on the line, both of them, Shatter and the Commissioner. He’s his new best friend for about two or three months…”

McCabe:  “The Commissioner?”

Connolly: “Had to be had to be and I would say I’m only speculating.”

McCabe: “No problem.”

Connolly: “I would say he forged a reasonably good relationship with Martin [Callinan] now however I know Alan and what I can tell you that I’m lucky…Listen the Commissioner is taking a view to embarrass you.. What I’ll say to you is, [your report] went to the Department of Justice and that annoyed the Commissioner greatly. I’m sure it’s going to be an embarrassment for the Gardaí, a disaster for them and listen if your complaints are exposed to the print media it will make him an angry man.”

Continue reading →