Maurice McCabe smear claims denied at tribunal

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

Maurice McCabe was at the centre of evidence about alleged Garda smear briefings at the Disclosures Tribunal, where communications chief Andrew McLindon denied knowing of a campaign. The proceedings were reported on 13 April 2018.

McLindon said he was unaware of negative briefings about McCabe and would have been appalled if the Garda Commissioner had adopted that approach. Counsel for former press officer Dave Taylor disputed his account, saying Taylor would give evidence that McLindon had been informed.

The tribunal was shown a note of a meeting on 21 January 2014, which McLindon agreed probably referred to a 2006 allegation involving McCabe. Tribunal chairman Mr Justice Peter Charleton said the DPP had stated that, even if what was described had occurred, it did not constitute a crime.