Cyril Dunne denies ‘going after’ McCabe remark about O’Higgins commission

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Cyril Dunne told the Charleton Tribunal on 7 February 2018 that he had not told a colleague the Garda legal team was “going after” whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe at the O’Higgins commission.

Garda human resources executive John Barrett had told the tribunal that, in May 2015, his then boss Mr Dunne said: “we’re going after him [Sgt McCabe]” at the commission. Mr Barrett believed 13 May 2015 was the most likely date of the alleged remark. Mr Dunne said he did not recall a meeting with the commissioner and Mr Barrett on 12 or 13 May.

The tribunal was examining whether former Garda commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan had inappropriately relied on unjustified grounds to discredit Sgt McCabe at the O’Higgins commission. That commission sat in private in 2015 and investigated complaints by Sgt McCabe about policing matters in Cavan and serious allegations against senior officers.

Mr Dunne, a retired civil servant whose post was equivalent to deputy Garda commissioner, said Ms O’Sullivan was concerned about a duty of care to everyone, including Sgt McCabe, and was keen for the commission to establish the truth. He said his impression was that she was very much supporting Sgt McCabe. He also said he was not involved in operational policing or preparations for the commission.

The report said Mr Dunne’s evidence would continue on Thursday.