Pat Carey: Leak an 'orchestrated attempt to bring me down'

Pat Carey said he was 'subjected to the gravest allegations, my character vilified, and my good name destroyed'. Picture: PA

Former Minister Pat Carey has said the damage to his good name will never be fully repaired, despite an apology from the Garda Commissioner over a leaking controversy.

Drew Harris apologised before the High Court to Mr Carey for the "severe and wholly unjustified distress" the former Fianna Fáil TD suffered after information in relation to a Garda investigation into child sexual abuse appeared in the media.

Mr Carey told the Irish Examiner  that the incident was "an orchestrated attempt to bring me down".

Mr Carey, who said he was forced to step down from a number of voluntary positions and as Fianna Fáil director of elections when the reports emerged in 2015, described how the ordeal has taken a considerable toll on him as well as his family and close friends.

"I think it is difficult to undo the damage that has been done," he said, adding that he first learned of the story when he turned on the radio while in bed suffering from flu.

There is leaking, and there is deliberate and malicious leaking. I'm afraid in some cases, it's done with the knowledge of very senior people in organisations.

"I was subjected to the gravest allegations, my character vilified and my good name destroyed."

He added that the apology brings a "sense of relief" but not closure after a seven-and-a-half-year ordeal.

Mr Carey, who lost his seat in 2011, said he hopes "lessons are learned" from what happened to him, but is not convinced that it could not happen to someone else in the future.

Privacy breached

Mr Carey had claimed in High Court proceedings that his privacy and confidentiality were breached in articles published concerning a Garda investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse involving an ex-government minister.

He was not named in the reports, but claims he had to make a public statement rejecting the innuendo that surrounded him following their publication.

Following the conclusion of the Garda investigation, the DPP informed Mr Carey, who at all times strongly rejected any allegations of wrongdoing, that no charges were to be brought against him.

Arising out of the media articles, the former Fianna Fáil minister and TD sued the Garda Commissioner, the Attorney General, Independent Newspapers Ireland Ltd, and Independent News and Media Plc, seeking damages for an alleged breach of privacy and confidentiality.

When the matter was mentioned before Ms Justice Siobhán Stack at the High Court on Friday, senior counsel Remy Farrell, instructed by solicitor James MacGuill, said the matter against all parties had been settled and could be struck out.

It is understood that Mr Carey also received damages of around €250,000 under a settlement of his action over two newspaper articles relating to a criminal investigation.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris acknowledged that during the investigation into allegations relating to Mr Carey, information in relation to that investigation found its way into the public domain. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

In the apology, Commissioner Harris said he acknowledged that during the course of the investigation into allegations relating to Mr Carey, information in relation to that investigation found its way into the public domain.

The commissioner also accepted that this should never have happened and acknowledged that this was the cause of severe and wholly unjustified distress to Mr Carey and those close to him, and damage to his reputation.

The disclosure of confidential Garda information in an unauthorised and uncontrolled manner in relation to investigations is damaging to the integrity of the investigative process and damaging to public confidence in An Garda Síochána.

"The public is entitled to expect that the relevant policy and procedures in place are adhered to," the statement  said.