Courts / Westmeath / Report

O'Sullivan more focused on changing culture of garda, witness tells tribunal

Summary

A civilian witness, Cyril Dunne, testified before the Charleton tribunal that former Garda Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan was more concerned with changing the organisation's culture than with operational policing. Dunne, who had a deputy‑commissioner‑level role, said he had a closer working relationship with O'Sullivan than with her predecessor, Martin Callinan, and that their focus was on culture. He recounted a 2015 meeting where O'Sullivan and senior officers discussed Sergeant Maurice McCabe's experience of a "toxic work environment" at Mullingar Garda Station, noting that McCabe's situation was unsustainable and that simply moving him to another post would not resolve the issue. Dunne denied that he had told a colleague that they were "going after" McCabe, and Chief Superintendent McLoughlin said he had no memory of such a conversation in 2015. The tribunal continues to examine whether unjustified grounds were used to discredit McCabe.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: O'Sullivan more focused on changing culture of garda, witness tells tribunal. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

• May 2015 Other
• February 2015 Other
• 2018-02-08 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Hearing Or Decision

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Read the original CNI report