Statutory inquiry into garda smear allegations

A statutory inquiry into allegations that senior management in the gardaí conducted a smear campaign against Sergeant Maurice McCabe is expected to be announced next week.

The scoping report into the matter conducted by former High Court Judge Iarlaigh O’Neill is being examined by the Attorney General to see whether it can in part or in full be published. Sources in the department suggest that if published at all it will be heavily redacted.

Judge O’Neill’s report is understood to have recommended that a fuller inquiry requires to be conducted into the allegations that emanated from Sergeant McCabe and Superintendent David Taylor in two protected disclosures made in early October.