Nóirín O’Sullivan raised Maurice McCabe strategy with Department of Justice twice in one day

Former Garda commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan called the Department of Justice twice in one day to discuss a strategy to discredit whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe at the O’Higgins Commission set up to investigate his allegations of corruption and malpractice in the force.

She made the calls after being contacted by a colleague, Supt Fergus Healy, who was acting as her liaison with the commission, to tell her that her legal representatives had advised taking the approach of attacking Sgt McCabe’s credibility and motivations and they were seeking the go-ahead to do so.

She sought time to make some calls and contacted the Department of Justice, subsequently calling her colleague back to tell him the legal team should proceed as they advised.