Howlin hits out at Garda phone bid

LABOUR’S Brendan Howlin yesterday expressed shock at reports gardaí sought access to his phone records after he highlighted corruption claims in the force.

The Morris Tribunal, which is investigating allegations of Garda corruption in Co Donegal, has been told detectives sought to trace calls from Mr Howlin and Fine Gael’s Jim Higgins in a bid to find the source of their information. Mr Howlin said it was a matter of grave concern and threatened to undermine the right of people to blow the whistle on important issues without fear of being exposed.

“There are checks and balances in the system and it is disturbing to learn that this was being contemplated,” the former Labour justice spokesperson said. “It’s a matter of great significance for the conduct of political life, especially when we acted with the utmost responsibility and did not go to the Dáil to make wild allegations.”

Mr Higgins was unavailable for comment but has also defended his actions and insisted he acted responsibly with the information at all times.

The deputies had been told that two assistant commissioners and a detective garda were corrupt. The three men, assistant commissioners Tony Hickey and Kevin Carty, and detective sergeant John White, have denied any wrongdoing. No evidence for the allegations has been provided and the politicians refused to disclose the source of the information to an internal Garda inquiry.

A senior Garda officer requested to have access to the phone records of both TDs, but the Director of Public Prosecutions turned it down.

Mr Howlin said when they made the allegations to gardaí, one individual in the force said he would do “everything in his power” to find out who was behind the allegations.

Mr Howlin said yesterday’s disclosures underlined the need to have legislation to protect whisteblowers from prosecution. Legislation has been put forward by the Labour Party but has not been enacted by the Government.

The Morris Tribunal is set to hear the allegations about the Garda bid to monitor the deputies’ phone records when it resumes again early next year.

It is probing corruption claims centring largely on the death of Richie Barron, a cattle dealer from Raphoe, Co Donegal, killed in 1996. Members of the McBrearty family were accused of being involved in his death. They claim there is evidence to show they were harassed by the gardaí before Mr Barron’s death and were subsequently framed for murder.