No intent to influence RTÉ coverage, claims ex commissioner

Former Garda commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan has said she never sought to influence RTÉ coverage of the O’Higgins report into complaints from whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe, adding: “I have no idea how anybody could come to that conclusion.”

Ms O’Sullivan was addressing the Charleton Tribunal, which is examining allegations by former Garda press officer Supt David Taylor that he was directed to brief the media negatively on Sgt McCabe by former commissioner Martin Callinan, and that Ms O’Sullivan was aware of this.

Both former commissioners deny this.