Tribunal too concerned with ‘wrong questions’

THE Morris Tribunal is more concerned with probing the running of a nightclub than investigating allegations of Garda harassment, it was claimed yesterday.

Donegal publican Frank McBrearty Snr accused the hearing of asking him terrible questions in relation to his business.

Mr McBrearty Snr complained that he was unhappy with the opening statement made by tribunal barrister Paul McDermott SC during yesterday’s sitting which he said made no mention of the High Court or injunction proceedings he took against the gardaí, or of complaints he made in relation to perjury proceedings.

The tribunal is investigating allegations of garda harassment against the McBrearty family following a botched death probe in 1996.

Mr McBrearty Snr maintains he never had any problems with An Garda Síochána for 20 years prior to his son and nephew being arrested onsuspicion of murdering local cattle dealer Richie Barron.

It was later ruled Mr Barron was the victim of a hit-and-run.

The licensee was later served with 69 district court summons, the majority in relation to the nightclub, but in 2000 they were withdrawn by the DPP.

“The tribunal is more concerned about finding something wrong with the way I run my business than the way the gardaí used licensing laws to harass my family and I,” said Mr McBrearty.

“Do you really think the tribunal is more concerned with criticising the way you run your business?” asked Mr Morris.

“Well that’s what I want to know,” replied Mr McBrearty Snr.

The tribunal heard that a solicitor acting for Mr McBrearty Snr first wrote a letter to the gardaí complaining of a campaign of harassment on February 5, 1997.

The publican maintained that after the death of Mr Barron the previous October, gardaí carried out numerous inspections of his nightclub.

He accused the gardaí of phoning hoax bomb scares against his premises and setting up checkpoints near his business.