"Wake up and help us": Tribunal chairman requests new statements from senior gardai

The Charleton tribunal has requested new statements from four senior gardaí regarding an October 2013 meeting in Letterkenny, County Donegal, which prompted referrals concerning garda whistleblower Keith Harrison to the HSE and GSOC. Tribunal Chairman Mr Justice Peter Charleton stated the tribunal had only recently learned that retired Northern Region Assistant Commissioner Kieran Kenny was consulted about the meeting. Handwritten notes from Chief Superintendent Terry McGinn, which documented discussions involving both Mr Kenny and Chief Superintendent Tony McLoughlin, were provided to the tribunal in June but were not searchable until recently transcribed. Mr Justice Charleton emphasised the October 2013 meeting was a significant turning point in the sequence of events. He requested statements from Mr Kenny, Chief Superintendent McLoughlin, Chief Superintendent McGinn, and Superintendent Eugene McGovern by 10am the following morning. Garda Harrison's barrister highlighted that he had only received the notes during cross-examination, describing them as critical to understanding the decision-making process.