2020-02-10 · Westmeath
Judge "shocked" to hear name read out in Dail as confidential recipient
In a hearing before the Disclosures Tribunal, retired District Court Judge Patrick McMahon, who served as the Confidential Recipient for Garda whistleblower Nicholas Keogh, recounted being surprised to learn that Keogh's name and the details of his protected disclosure were read aloud in the Dáil on the same day he received the information. McMahon explained that he had met Keogh on 8 May 2014 in a car in Kinnegad, where Keogh provided an affidavit dated 7 May 2014 and later a DVD containing an interview with an unnamed individual. The tribunal, chaired by Judge Sean Ryan, is examining whether Keogh was targeted or harassed after his disclosure. McMahon noted that the announcement in the Dáil caused him distress, as he had arranged a confidential meeting with Keogh. The tribunal is also reviewing the appointment of Assistant Commissioner Dónall Ó Cualáin to investigate the matter, a decision that Keogh expressed anxiety about.