Martin Callinan rejects smear campaign allegation

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

Martin Callinan rejected an allegation that he ordered a smear campaign against Sgt Maurice McCabe before the Charleton tribunal on 18 May 2018.

The allegation was made by former Garda Press Office head Supt Dave Taylor in a protected disclosure.

Callinan said the claim arose from Taylor’s grudge against former Garda commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan.

He also said media reports had wrongly linked his Public Accounts Committee comments about whistleblowers to McCabe.

This report covers an earlier stage of the case. Later developments are not reported here.