David Taylor rejects political campaign claim at tribunal

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

Former Garda press officer Superintendent David Taylor rejected a suggestion that his protected disclosure was part of a campaign to bring down Nóirín O'Sullivan. The proceedings were reported on 16 May 2018.

The suggestion was put to Taylor during cross-examination by Mícheál O'Higgins, counsel for former Garda commissioners Martin Callinan and Nóirín O'Sullivan. Taylor replied: “Absolutely not.”

The Disclosures Tribunal was examining Taylor’s allegation that Callinan instructed him to brief the media negatively about whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe, with O'Sullivan’s knowledge. Both former commissioners denied the claims.

Taylor also denied leaking a newspaper story about a Roma child being taken into care. He said he accepted the investigation into him was legitimate. The Director of Public Prosecutions later directed no prosecution in the case.