A solicitor representing the Garda Commissioner wrote a note that it was ‘political dynamite’ to question the motivation of Maurice McCabe as revealed at the Disclosures Tribunal.
Ann Marie Ryan told the Tribunal that Noirin O’Sullivan gave the green light to raise the motivation of the Garda Inquiry at the O’Higgins Commission inquiry.
The tribunal is examining whether Commissioner O’Sullivan relied on false allegations of abuse to discredit Maurice McCabe at the O’Higgins Commission.
Judge O’Higgins had asked counsel to confirm that the instructions of Commissioner O’Sullivan were to attack the motivation and credibility of Maurice McCabe. Barrister Colm Smyth that it was done the ‘right the way through.’
Ann Marie Ryan from the Chief State Solicitors Office said a series of emails referring to the strategy to attack the motivation of Mr. McCabe, adding that the matter was highly sensitive and private.
However, she also told the tribunal it was up to Judge O’Higgins to decide whether background issues were relevant to Maurice McCabe’s motivation.
A separate note taken by the Commissioner’s liaison to the inquiry referred to Noirín O’Sullivan seeking time to speak to the Department of Justice. Ms. O’Sullivan is not due before the tribunal until tomorrow.
Earlier, the chairman of the tribunal warned journalists and members of the public against posting photographs taken on mobile phones at the inquiry.
Mr Justice Peter Charleton was speaking after a photo taken on a mobile phone of a document which was shown on a computer screen was posted online on Monday. The document made a derogatory reference to former Garda, John Wilson.
Justice Charleton said that images should not be posted online, and mobile phones should not be used to record them at the tribunal.
