Criminal investigation into whistleblower smear campaign a possibility

The Taoiseach and Tánaiste are open to the idea of a criminal investigation into the whistleblower smear campaign and also to the possibility of an outside police force doing the job.

However, they said Mr Justice Peter Charleton’s commission of investigation should get under way first and only if evidence of criminal behaviour emerges either during or at the conclusion of those proceedings should the question of a parallel or follow-on investigation be decided.

Sgt Maurice McCabe has said his preference would be for an external criminal probe and he is backed in that call by Labour leader Brendan Howlin who urged a “fresh approach” rather than another commission — the third one to probe the whistleblower affair.