William Lavelle told tribunal email was inappropriate

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

William Lavelle told the Disclosures Tribunal on 30 January 2018 that an email about the O’Higgins Commission was inappropriate. The email concerned a row over the questioning of Sergeant Maurice McCabe during the commission’s private hearings in May 2015.

Mr Lavelle, a special adviser to then Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald, said the commission was independent of the minister and that he advised her not to intervene. He said he was surprised by a reference to a serious criminal complaint against Sgt McCabe, of which he had not previously been aware.

He said the email stated that no follow-up was required and that he did not recall further discussions about it. The Disclosures Tribunal was examining events surrounding the O’Higgins Commission and complaints made by Sgt McCabe.