Disclosures Tribunal opens at Dublin Castle

The tribunal established to investigate an alleged smear campaign against whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe from Mountnugent has opened this morning at Dublin Castle.

The Disclosures Tribunal is chaired by Supreme Court Judge Peter Charleton. It will examine allegations that senior gardaí were involved in a smear campaign against Sgt McCabe, as part of its terms of reference.

In his opening statement shortly after half past nine this morning, Justice Charleton outlined the purpose of the tribunal and what its general plan of work would be.

He said the tribunal is to urgently enquire into a range of matters, all of which hinge on how top officers in the gardaí react when concerns are aired as to the performance of the force.

The centre of concern, he said, was whether such reaction had possibly not only been one of distaste but of active and thought-through malice.

He said there was also an additional question, as to whether those who air concerns may be targeted in their family life.

Justice Charleton stressed that these were 'as yet unknown'.

He said there would be two modules in the tribunal - the first tribunal module will concern Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan and former commissioner Martin Callinan and others at the highest command level to disclosures made by Sgt McCabe.

The second module will deal with members of the force that made protected disclosures and whether they were mistreated as a result.

The tribunal will abide by existing court rules but rules of evidence will not apply, and hearsay is admissible, Justice Charleton said.

Today's opening statement comes less than a fortnight after the terms of reference were published.

The tribunal was set up after Sgt McCabe rejected plans for a Commission of Investigation, calling instead for the inquiry to be held in public.

The tribunal is due to report in nine months' time and provide an interim report to Government in three months.

It is expected to be a number of weeks before the tribunal begins to hear testimony from witnesses.