Brendan Howlin tells tribunal he had duty to put information from journalist on public record
Labour leader Brendan Howlin has said he had a duty to put information he was given by a journalist on the public record in the Dáil in February 2017 in order to inform the debate on the terms of reference for the Charleton tribunal.
Mr Howlin told the tribunal that he spoke with journalist Alison O'Reilly on February 8, 2018, and she told him that she had been told by her colleague Debbie McCann of allegations of sexual abuse against whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe.
He said that Ms O'Reilly said that Ms McCann said that the allegations were confirmed by Supt David Taylor, then head of the Garda Press Office and then Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan.
The tribunal is examining allegations of a smear campaign against Sgt McCabe.
Mr Howlin said he was clear in every utterance he made that he did not know if the allegations made against Supt Taylor and Ms O'Sullivan were true or not.
He said that the Dáil was in the process of determining the terms of reference for an investigation, and the inquiry would check out the allegations.
Ms O'Reilly earlier said she had confided in a friend about the Sgt McCabe case, and her friend knew Labour leader Brendan Howlin, and asked if she would like to talk to the TD.
Ms O'Reilly agreed to speak to Mr Howlin in strict confidence on 8 February, and afterwards Mr Howlin addressed the Dáil. Mr Howlin later wrote to the Charleton tribunal.
Ms O'Reilly said that when she first received a letter from the tribunal, "it was a bolt out of the blue”.
Ms O'Reilly said she was shocked and upset and felt let down, as she felt it was up to her to contact the tribunal herself, but had since spoken to the tribunal and it was not an issue for her anymore.
Ms O'Reilly said that when Mr Howlin contacted the tribunal "I think he was just trying to help Sgt McCabe, he was just trying to do the right thing”.
In answer to questions from tribunal chairman Mr Justice Peter Charleton, Ms O'Reilly said she was not deluded or bitter, and loved her job and was proud to be a journalist. Ms O'Reilly said there were ongoing issues before the High court to do with her employers, but they were separate.
Ms O'Reilly said that Ms McCann "didn't believe the whistleblowers. She really really had strong views about Maurice McCabe. She really didn't like him or John Wilson”.
Hugh Mohan SC, on behalf of Associated Newspapers, said that in a statement to the tribunal last year, Ms McCann said there were discussions among colleagues about Sgt McCabe, but she never briefed anyone and was not involved in any orchestrated campaign against Sgt McCabe.
Ms O'Reilly said that in a meeting with solicitor Michael Keeley, she felt "threatened and terrified", and had tried to tell him everything she knew but "he said he didn't want to know".
Mr Mohan said that Mr Keeley did not want to be in a position where he was told the name of a confidential source.
Ms O'Reilly said that after reporting on a drowning tragedy in Buncrana, she had received death threats, and had met with Mr Keeley just after she had received a garda briefing about threats.
"I told the tribunal absolutely everything I can tell them. It wasn't perfect but I've told you everything I know," Ms O'Reilly said.
Tribunal barrister Patrick Marrinan SC said a different event to that described by Ms O'Reilly had not been put to her by Ms McCann's legal representatives.
The tribunal chairman said that he needed clarity on what exactly Ms McCann was saying she discussed with Ms O'Reilly, and asked Mr Mohan to seek instructions overnight and that he had an obligation to put his client's facts and position to the witness.
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