Whistleblowers subjected to ‘smears’ for telling truth

The Garda whistleblowers deserve an apology from the Taoiseach over the way they’ve been systematically “smeared”, according to opposition parties.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin accused the Government of selectively leaking parts of the report into penalty points let-offs in a bid to manipulate “damage limitation”.

Independent TD Mick Wallace, one of the first to raise the issue in the Dáil, said the damning report proved that both Justice Minister Alan Shatter and the Garda Commissioner, Martin Callinan, are unfit for office.

Mr Martin, stating that the damning report vindicated whistleblowers Maurice McCabe and John Wilson, said if Mr Shatter could not bring himself to apologise to them, then Enda Kenny should.

Rounding on Mr Shatter’s handling of the scandal, the Fianna Fáil leader said: “His whole tone and demeanour was to undermine and isolate the whistleblowers and present them as unreliable mavericks who could not be trusted.

“In the light of this report, could you ask him [Mr Shatter] to apologise unequivocally for his... misleading comments and undermining the whistle- blowers concerned.

“If he can’t Taoiseach, can you apologise on behalf of the Government for the treatment meted out to these particular whistleblowers on this very specific issue,” Mr Martin said to the Dáil.

Sinn Féin’s Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin said the two whistleblowers had been subject to “smears” for telling the truth.

“They have both been subjected to a very serious, personally targeted smear campaign,” he said.

He urged Mr Kenny to allow Sgt McCabe to be able to perform his duties in the force without restrictions, such as being banned from the Pulse computer system.

Mr Ó Caoláin also criticised Mr Callinan for branding the whistle-blowers “disgusting”.

Mr Kenny said that the Government was determined to radically change for the better the way the fixed penalty regime worked.

“I hope that following the implementation of all the recommendations from the Mahoney report, the Inspectorate report and the GSOC report to follow, that there will be a system that will be fair, accountable, transparent and not subject to either celebrity or political interference,” the Taoiseach told TDs.

Mr Kenny added that Sgt McCabe and Mr Shatter had a difference of interpretation.

The Taoiseach told Mr Ó Caoláin that it was not his place to direct what responsibilities serving gardaí should have.