#DisclosuresTribunal has resumed. Michael O'Higgins, for Supt Taylor, now addressing Judge Charleton
#DisclosuresTribunal Judge has spoken at length with O'H about Taylor's position after his evidence to tribunal - in which he said he accepted he DID carry out the comms he was accused of carrying out after his transfer out of GPO. [DPP ruled no prosecution in respect of this]
#DisclosuresTribunal [Will come back to this]
#DIsclosuresTribunal Counsel for Alison O'Reilly has read out AOR statement to tribunal in which she said: "I do not have any direct information. I was told by my former colleague in the Irish Mail on Sunday, Debbie McCann, between 2013 and 2014 that Superintendent Dave Taylor.."
#DisclosuresTribunal [cntd] "...and then acting Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan, told her Maurice McCabe abused a girl when she was a child. Debbie told me that the abuse was covered up because Mr McCabe was a Garda and the case was never given a Pulse number.”
#DisclosuresTribunal NOS has responded (as she responded yesterday):" No chairman, I never disucssed Sgt McCabe with Ms McCann ever"
#DisclosuresTribunal AOR counsel puts to NOS that either McCann or AOR is mistaken. NOS: I can only state the facts.
#DisclosuresTribunal AOR counsel also reads out further details AOR has given to tribunal AOR claims while speaking to McCann, McC referred to Sgt McCabe as a paedophile. AOR told tribunal she asked McC how she knew this was true and AOR claims McC said it was coming from the top
#DisclosuresTribunal AOR has told tribunal that she then asked McCann "is that your pal, Noirin?" and that McCann agreed. NOS tells tribunal that she would not classify herself as McCann's "pal" and repeats she's never spoken to McCann or anybody else about Sgt McCabe and Ms D
#DisclosuresTribunal Conor Dignam SC, for An Garda Siochana, now questioning NOS
#DisclosuresTribunal Dignam (and NOS) explain to the tribunal that there's no evidence showing alleged series of communications between Paul Williams and Supt Taylor and Callinan and NOS - as alleged by Supt Taylor - in respect of his visit to Ms D's house in March 2014.
#DisclosuresTribunal NOS confirms to tribunal that the false rape allegation which she received in May 2014 but doesn't recall reading - she has told the tribunal she didn't realise this was different to the Ms D 2006 allegation until February 2017.
#DisclosuresTribunal Dignam now going through the evidence of John Deasy, John McGuinness in respect of what they claim Martin Callinan told them before and after the PAC meeting of Jan 23, 2014. [She didn't hear the alleged comments]
#DisclosuresTribunal In respect of Sgt McCabe and Supt Taylor's protected disclosures made in late Sept 2016, Dignam asks NOS when she first became aware of them. NOS: To best of my recolelction there was an [press] article on Oct 7 [2016] which named T as one of the disclosees
#DIsclosuresTribunal Dignam asks NOS about Ass Comm Michael Finn being tasked with meeting an uncle of Sgt McCabe [Bernard McCabe] on Dec 15, 2016 - whom he didn't get on with - who made "utterly bogus" claims to AGS that McC had helped to get 2ppl off drink driving charges.
#DisclosuresTribunal By way of explanation, NOS speaks about how complaints come in, rank structure, etc.. but Judge Charleton steps in and says it's "still extremely weird" and "just really odd" that someone of Finn's rank (Ass Comm) would be given such a task
#DisclosuresTribunal Judge adds that he's still "mystified" by Operation Squeeze and the visit to Bernard McNamara's home: More on this here: broadsheet.ie/2018/05/22/ope…
#DisclosuresTribunal Dignam asks about 2013 doc created by Supt Frank Walsh (then private sect to Callinan and then became private sect to NOS in March 2014). This chronological doc about Sgt McCabe has been described as a "compendium of bad news" by McDowell SC for Sgt McCabe
#DisclosuresTribunal NOS wasn't Commissioner in 2013.
#DisclosuresTribunal Dignam puts to NOS the tribunal has now heard that Taylor has said NOS did not interfere with the investigation into him re: leaking to press, that NOS did not appointed her husband to the investigation; and she had no hand, act or part in the investigation
#DisclosuresTribunal Dignam also says it's been inferred that Taylor's phones were seized in order to wipe alleged wrongdoing on her part.
#DisclosuresTribunal NOS: Since 2015 those allegations have been repeated several, umpteen times. I've been doorstepped at press conferences, I've constantly had to deny those specific allegations.
#DisclosuresTribunal Dignam now going though the timeline of communications between Sgt McCabe, Taylor and politicians, following the two protected disclosures, and the subsequent calls in Dail and in media for her to resign.
#DisclosuresTribunal NOS confirms to tribunal she had no bridesmaid from An Garda SIochana.
#DisclosuresTribunal Emotional NOS now talking about how hurtful it was for her to be linked to a sex smear in media.
#DIsclosuresTribunal Dignam now going through Brendan Howlin's speech in the Dail and the RTE Prime Time show after it - she claims she was linked to a meeting in regards to the Tusla matter in 2014.
#DisclosuresTribunal Tearful NOS speaking about how she retired from her rolse as Garda Commissioner. Dignam asks her if it's of any comfort to her today that much of what he has claimed, he no longer claims...
#DisclosuresTribunal NOS: Absolutely none, absolutely none but bear in mind the impact it has had on myself, my family and, most imporatnly, confidence in An Garda Siochana
#DisclosuresTribunal Dignam points out that Taylor has no details in terms of his allegation that NOS was aware of alleged smear campaign. Judge steps in to say (in terms of there being no details) the allegation is T told her about things happening and she didn't respond
#DisclosuresTribunal NOS says that the allegations are absolutely and totally untrue. She adds that anyone who knows her knows she would always react to information such as that. [NOTE, it's been the evidence of Supt Walsh NOS didn't respond to the fake rape referral in 2014]
#DisclosuresTribunal Kathleen Leader BL, for tribunal, goes back to phone contacts btw Paul Williams and NOS in Feb/March/April 2014. Tribunal has seen that they were in contact on Feb 21 (twice), Feb 24, March 22, March 31, April 4, Apr 12 [Day of PW's first Ms D art] and Apr 18
#DIsclosuresTribunal NOS has already told tribunal yesterday and this morning that these were calls about security matters pertaining to Paul Williams. (Note tribunal has also been told there were no contacts between PW and NOS from Feb 2012 to April 2013)
#DisclosuresTribunal Leader points out that in NOS statement to the tribunal (in Nov 2017) she told the tribunal's investigators that she couldn't recall the content of those communications. Leaders asks NOS what caused her to remember
#DisclosuresTribunal NOS says, at that time with investigators, she thought that they were in relation to security matters and this caused her to make inquiries to be made with her former office. She made those inquiries and her memory was correct ( it was about sec matters)
#DisclosuresTribunal Leader puts to NOS that it's not an explanation Paul Williams has put forward for those contacts
#DisclosuresTribunal NOS has told the tribunal she knew nothing about IMOS Debbie McCann or Irish Sun's Eavan Murray's (separate) visits to the Ms D home in early 2014. NOS has also told tribunal she knew nothing of the Gerald Kean matter (on @MarianRTE ) until tribunal told her
#DisclosuresTribunal Leader suggests to NOS she knew rumours were going around about McCabe and she suspected Callinan was putting the story out and Supt Taylor knew about that, and that NOS didn't approve of it and didn't want anything to do with it but she couldn't stop it.
#DisclosuresTribunal NOS rejects this and says she never heard any rumours about Sgt McCabe and she wouldn't condone or support any such campaign. Also says she would react to any such campaign. Leader puts to NOS it's evidence of Supt Walsh she didn't react to fake rape referral
#DisclosuresTribunal NOS repeats she would have reacted if she something or saw something such as that. NOS: "I know I would react"
#DisclosuresTribunal [Will return to lengthy NOS evidence] Anne Harris, former Sunday Independent editor, is now giving evidence.
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris explaining structural changes that took place after June 2013 in INM
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris explains that, after June 2013, Harris reported to Stephen Rae
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris explains that Sunday Independent had a small staff and very small core team and there would have been about dozen journalists. Over time number of reporters decreased and freelancers increased. And then would have specific correspondents
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris tells chair journalists only know things when ppl tell them things, information doesn't come out of a tap, even before making an FOI. Harris talking about editorial conferences - a safe place to allow journalists to talk about anything they had heard
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris explains first conference would take place at start of week and it would be big - largely involving discussion of ideas. Would result in a sort of agenda for week. Says this meeting wouldn't be minuted. Harris says paper itself wd be evenutal minutes
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris says there would also be Thursday meetings - a "dummy meeting" - where production people and dept heads would come together and pages would be put together, and order priorities are decided, etc.
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris says another meeting would be held on Friday and then again on Saturday morning - with legal ppl involved.
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris tells tribunal that on May 5, 2013, Philip Ryan "who always faithfully followed Sgt McCabe's stories" and was a "reputable, reliable" journalist reported that some ppl who had pp quashed were involved in fatal road accidents.
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris says that, on the following Tuesday, at the next editorial conference, a freelance journalist told her that she didn't know "the whole story" about Sgt McCabe and then proceeded to give her a different story.
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris claims this freelance journalist (as yet unnamed) told her that there was a colleague of Sgt McCAbe's driving along one day with his daughter who said to him [her dad] 'Daddy, daddy, that's him, that's the man'...
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris claims the freelancer then told her that the father looked out the window and that she was referring to Sgt McCabe. Harris said the freelancer referred to something about 2006, that it was vague, but it happened and it involved inappropriate behaviour
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris says this was the first time she heard this claim. She said she made her own inquiries with her own sources and she discovered the DPP looked into the matter (Ms D) and that the allegation had been groundless. Harris says she was satisfied by this.
#DisclosuresTribunal [Harris has told tribunal she has had no dealings with Supt Taylor, Martin Callinan or Noirin O'Sullivan]. Harris says that the same freelancer raised the allegation again but "I shut it down".
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris said she didn't want to hear it again in her office and that the journalist never raised it again. Harris says she's not 100% but she thinks the purpose of the freelancer raising the matter was never to get Sunday Independent to publish the allegation
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris says, instead, she believes the purpose of it being told was to warn her. She said it was "a sort of chilling thing to think twice about...the complaints of this particular sergeant"
#DisclosuresTribunal [NOTE: the tribunal has stopped for lunch. But just going to go back to final evidence of NOS from earlier]
#DisclosuresTribunal Leader put to NOS when she took over as Comm she set out her vision for AGS. Leader raises email NOS sent to Terry Prone on March 30 2014
#DisclosuresTribunal The email included the line: "Terry my intitial thoughts...at this point, don't specifically mention collation exervise, or Maurice McCabe issue (so as not to make big issue)"(Presumably this was in relation to a speech or some such as Prone was advising NOS)
#DisclosuresTribunal Leader then says also around that time, NOS set about meeting McCabe and appointed Chief Supt O'Brien to deal with McCabe's issues. Leader suggests NOS was dealing with Sgt McCabe differently to Callinan. NOS agrees with all that.
#DisclosuresTribunalInto Leader then points out that, in the middle of all that (in mid-May 2014) the fake rape referral comes in and it's Supt Frank Walsh's evidence that he summed up the referral while she read it. Leader points out there was also correspondence on her behalf..
#DisclosuresTribunal ..btw Walsh and ASst Comm Kieran Kenny (who never sent not the corrected referral to NOS) NOS again confirms that she has no memory of reading the fake rape allegation.
#DisclosuresTribunal Leader suggests to NOS that perhaps she was happy to leave the matter sit there for the time being as D matter was getting too much attention and to deal with it would cause difficulties for her in reaching out to McCabe. NOS rejects this.
#DisclosuresTribunal NOS insists: "That is not correct...I would never shy away from whatever is put in front of me. I completely reject that assertion."
#DisclosuresTribunal Judge Charleton asked NOS why the disciplinary investigation into Supt Taylor was dropped. NOS says she has no knowledge of why that happened. She said the disciplinary proceedings were still pending when she was commissioner
#DisclosuresTribunal As NOS knew of Ms D allegation in 2008, Judge asked NOS what his view of the allegation was. NOS said in her head it was a historical allegation and Sgt McCabe had no case to answer.
#DisclosuresTribunal NOS repeats that if she had seen the fake rape referral she would have contacted Asst Comm Kieran Kenny to ask him about it. Judge asks her if it's possible she just "doesn't like this stuff", NOS says she's dealt with far more gruesome issues.
#DisclosuresTribunal Judge said it's strange that she sat across from Sgt McCabe and shook his hand the following week. Says she surely would have been reacting. NOS repeats she has no memory of Supt Walsh showing her the rape referral.
#DisclosuresTribunal Judge asks NOS about the O'Higgins report. NOS said she was disappointed but not surprised when it came out as AGS criticised again. Judge asks her about the May 9 2016 Paul Reynolds reports on O'Higgins (He reported McCabe lied)
#DisclosuresTribunal NOS said she wonderered where this was coming from. She said she thought focus of Reynolds' reports was giving the "wrong tone". She said it was her view that AGS needed to apologise (to those whose cases were looked at in O'Higgins)
#DisclosuresTribunal Judge asked NOS (in light of Callinan getting upset at PAC) if she ever took Callinan aside and tell him to go home, relax and 'we need to get you in proper state of mind?' NOS: I would have had conversatoin with MC about that, to focus on positives...'
#DisclosuresTribunal But NOS says Comm Callinan wouldn't have been giving his inner most feelings to her.
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris is back giving evidence. To leader, she says: At that time, it was one journalist but that was May 2013. And it was the first I heard of this. But thereafter, you would hear quite a lot of this 'nudge and wink' stuff
#DIsclosuresTribunal Harris said she would hear it around the corridors in INM. Says "it was pervasive in the offices of INM".
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris said it was also rife in political circles. She said the purpose was to stop Sgt McCabe raising concerns and to stop media covering his concerns. Harris said she couldn't get the source - despite requests for it. But she assumes it was from AGS
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris says it was casual and careless talk. It was of the nature 'doesn't everybody know this about Sgt McCabe?' She says she shut it down whenever it came up in her company
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris now going to Feb 2014 and talking about when Mary Lynch (taxi driver who had been assaulted) came fwd and said she had been told Sgt McCabe released her attacker. She came out to vindicate Sgt McCabe.
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris goes to Sept 2014, she recalls how Dail reconvened, Alan Shatter had gone before that summer recess, Guerin report is subject of controversy as sgts were complaining about it, and GSOC investigation into bugging and Sgt McCabe
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris now referring to a conference meeting which involved Fionnan Sheahan
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris says at end of conference everybody had left, FS had gone but he turned back, came into the office and said "He's a paedophile, McCAbe's a paedophile"
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris asked if she can put a time on this exchange... Harris says she recalls, at the time, Fionnan Sheahan was pitching a story about men 'marrying up'. Judge clarifies this is men marrying smarter women. Charleton quips: "I did that."
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris said she didn't think Sheahan was gossiping and that he was telling her to tip her off - as they had been talking about Sgt McCabe - and that he poss though she was a bit naive. "I thought Fionna Sheahan.. is tipping people off"
#DisclosuresTribunal Sheahan denies that he called Sgt McCabe a "paedophile". He also claims Sheahan and Harris did not get on at this time.
#DisclosuresTribunal Anne Harris says that Fionnan Sheahan got articles into the Sunday Independent - only because of her.
#DisclosuresTribunal Asked if she challenged FS when allegedly making this claim, Harris says no because this "was the currency in INM for a long time". She adds Paul WIliams' articles (from Apr/May 2014) wouldn't have gone to print without "a certain amount of chat"
#DIsclosuresTribunal Harris now saying Group News Editor Ian Mallon - during conversation about Sgt McCabe - also said to her "oh you know we have to bear in mind that he's..that there's more to Sgt McCabe than meets the eye". She says he said "You know about McCabe and children"
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris can't put time on this - other than it was 2014. She's almost certain it was AFTER the Paul Williams' articles.
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris said she had no knowlege of PW articles - she would have just read them. But she concedes Ian Mallon may have possibly got that info from Paul Williams/his articles. (Harris praising Ian Mallon's intrepid reporting skills)
#DisclosuresTribunal Leader asks Harris why she won't name the freelancer (see prev tweets) Harris explains that editorial conferences have to be "in lodge" and there has to be some sort of privilege attached to them. "If you wouldn't, you wouldn't have newspapers"
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris says the freelancer was at editorial conference when they said it to her, Harris says Fionnan SHeahan and Ian Mallon;s comments were not at conference. Harris says she believes FS alleged comment was "to warn her"
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris says Irish Independent and Sunday Independent, at that time, were taking very different approaches
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris says to name a freelancer would be very damaging for them but for an established journalist in a higher position, it wouldn't be so damaging.
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris asked about her view of journalistic privilege. Harris says: When you know somebody's good name is being detracted from and you know journalists have been used or appear to have been used... because this talk has had to have come from somewhere..
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris: I came to the conclusion journalists were being used to spread this innuendo. When a journalist is used to spread rumours...to my mind, that in itself is an abuse of mourn privilege and to use sources in that manner and to claim privilege.. it's wrong
#DisclosuresTribunal Counsel for INM asking Harris why she made her statement to tribunal on March 11 2017. Harris says that she understood that, at that time, not many people were coming forward from media and pol classes to say places were "crawling with rumours"
#DisclosuresTribunal Counsel for INM points out Harris misspelt Judge Charleton's name in her statement
#DisclosuresTribunal Counsel for INM also points out in her statement she said "In 2014, the allegation that Sgt McCabe was a 'paedophile' was stated in my office by senior executiveS from the wider 'Group' editorial hierarchy of Indepednent Newspapers" NOTE: plural
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris said she went to great lengths to fix the plural matter - as Mallon never used word 'paedophile'. Counsel for INM says that plural claim would have caused excitement and further investigation by the tribunal
#DisclosuresTribunal INM counsel put to Harris that, as of the date of this statement (March 11, 2017) she didn't have a good relationship with "the senior executives from the wider 'Group' editorial hierachy of INM"
#DisclosuresTribunal Counsel for INM is referring to the restructuring which took place in June 2013 in INM. Harris rejects the assertion. She said the restructuring was difficult but says "I grew to like Ian Mallon and Fionnan Sheahan."
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris said she had "no beef" with Sheahan or Mallon and she has texts on her phone between herself and FS to indicate that. She also says she doesn't have a bitter relationship with INM.
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris to INM counsel: I can't countenance that you would say that I would want to do those people down. Harris says she's proud she navigated through difficult waters and it took a lot of understanding to success in doing well in that new structure.
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris says her new CEO Robert Pitt made her last few months there very happy, as did some of the group editors
#DisclosuresTribunal INM counsel going through Harris' letters to the tribunal
#DisclosuresTribunal INM counsel saying that because Harris can't pin down a date when FS allegedly made this to her, it's difficult for FS to disprove it. [FS categorically denies the allegation]
#DisclosuresTribunal INM counsel now putting it to Harris that she's not naming the freelancer. Harris repeating again what she said earlier about editorial conferences and her belief that certain amount of privilege should be attached.
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris repeats that freelancers have difficult lives (live hand to mouth, etc) but high-up editors don't. Harris repeats about the 3 people (Sheahan, Mallon and unnamed freelancer) - they weren't gossiping. She says she believed they believed the allegation
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris: Something persuaded those 3 people of the truth of the rumour and that is why I have brought it to the tribunal. I believe they believed it...The purpose of this tribunal is to find out what made them believe that is true.
#DisclosuresTribunal Counsel for INM brings up Ian Mallon's statement and says Harris's claims were "entirely untrue". Mallon also claims that her claim she "shut down" talk of the matter is untrue as there was no whispering campaign - it was openly talked about
#DisclosuresTribunal Mallon says he first became aware of Ms D matter in March 2017 - because of Paul Williams' articles. Harris says she finds Mallon's claim it was "openly talked about" "astonishing" because Sgt McCabe wasn't named in the articles
#DisclosuresTribunal In another statement to the tribunal, Harris wrote: "I feel that my comment in respect to Ian Mallon may be disproporationate, as he was no more talkative about Sgt McC at that time, late Sept 2014, than anybody else..."
#DisclosuresTribunal [cntd] "Ian Mallon did not more at a meeting than say, what by then, as common currency.." Harris tells the tribunal: Journalists sometime get things wrong. She says she acknowledged that in her statement and she was at pains to correct it.
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris now talking about the term "paedophile" and how shocked she was. She traces the path of the false rape allegation made against Sgt McCabe and when this story emerged (it came out in Feb 2017) - her conversation with FS "pinged" in her brain.
#DisclosuresTribunal INM counsel: You said you were shocked when FS allegedly told you this and you told nobody about it. H: Correct. Counsel: You made absolutely no note about it. H: No, no note. Counsel: You sent no email. H: I sent no email, correct.
#DisclosuresTribunal INM counsel puts to Harris there are no articles that Fionnan Sheahan was involved in that were critical of Sgt McCabe.
#DisclosuresTribunal INM counsel says Sheahan's evidence will be that long career working in Leinster House would have ensured he wouldn't pay any heed to rumours.
#DisclosuresTribunal INM counsel puts to Harris that it's his "unhappy obligation" to say to her that her evidence and claim about FS is "tainted by an improper motive", that she's a bitter person, and that she bears a grudge against FS and her ex-employer INM
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris: I bear absolutely no grudge...and that's to be seen in op-ed articles. She says she's retired 3.5 years now and she's written two articles about INM "for compelling reasons".
#DisclosuresTribunal She says one was in June 2015 when Leslie Buckley said Denis O'Brien never interfered with INM editorial matters. Harris says she had personal evidence this was not the case and she had chapter & verse of ed interference. This was printed in Sunday Times.
#DisclosuresTribunal She says she wrote a second article in the Sunday Business Post - on the question of data breaches - as she had been breached in INM.
#DisclosuresTribunal INM counsel draws attention to piece in SBP businesspost.ie/opinion/standi…
#DisclosuresTribunal Harris wrote: "...A series of group department “heads” were appointed. I, the first female editor of the Sindo, was never again to speak to some of my journalists alone, and every news meeting I held was noted furiously by men with big swinging titles."
#DisclosuresTribunal INM counsel puts it to Harris that these "men with big seining titles" including Fionnan Sheahan. Counsel suggests this is " demonstrative out of your own pen" of her feelings towards FS.
#DisclosuresTribunal Gemma O'Doherty is now giving evidence and outlining her career.
#DisclosuresTribunal O'D now talking about her work on Fr Molloy murder investigation and how she was approached by ppl who felt they were wrongly treated by gardai. She tells tribunal it was after that Sgt McCabe's father approached O'D in 2012
#DisclosuresTribunal O'D now taking about her work on quashing of penalty points. She says she found judges, state solicitors, crime reporters and people who would have influence in society had points quashed. Says that's why she felt, in public interest, this should be exposed.
#DisclosuresTribunal O'D now saying she came into possession of an PULSE doc which showed that a Martin Callinan had points quashed and she needed to verify that. Says she pursued it vigorously and did go to Martin Callinans' house, was there for about 20 seconds.
#DisclosuresTribunal O'D says after that visit to MC's house, she was having dinner with her husband when her phone rang and it was Ian Mallon, of INM. O"D says he was in a "very serious temper" and alleged various things in the call..
#DisclosuresTribunal O'D says IM told her she was harassing MC, that RTE would be in contact and that "I had ruined everything". O'D says she subsequently think that that remark had to do with Anglo Tapes. O'D says IM was extremely angry "on behalf of Martin Callinan"
#DisclosuresTribunal O'D says, in days after, she was ostracised, she was called a rogue reporter, she was called cack-handed, and she was told the Commissioner was extremely angry and that the Commissioner thought she was a renegade Republican
#DisclosuresTribunal O'D tells tribunal "serious questions remain...which are in public interest" about the quashing of Martin Callinan's points.
#DisclosuresTribunal This was the story published. O'D says it's not the story she would have published. O'D: I was instructed to deal directly with Dave Taylor on this story and ordered not to talk to anyone else about it. 
#DisclosuresTribunal O'D says she didn't get answers to all her questions. She says: Rumours continue to this day about allegations regarding the incident itself l and whether Martin Callinan was actully adriving the car or whether somebody else was driving the car
#DisclosuresTribunal O'D says many aspects didn't make sense. Says MC was Dep Comm at the time the pp was quashed. Says MC claims he was going to meet a source. Says for some reason he drove his family car to the source when he could have use of a state car
#DisclosuresTribunal Marrinan puts to O'D that in her letter to tribunal, she appeared to be saying she was victimised and bullied and she appeared to be linking it to going to MC's home and for showing an interest in the cancellation of his pen points
#DisclosuresTribunal O'D said she had been holding AGS to account..but didnt get her stories from the gardai. O'D says up until then INM had been singing her praises, she'd won awards, she was used in ad campaigns by INM
#DisclosuresTribunal O'D tells tribunal that she believes former Garda John Wilson told her about rumours concerning Sgt McCabe in so much as he said to her 'you won't believe what they're saying now...' O'D says she heard some things before but "I knew it utterly to be untrue"
#DisclosuresTribunal hears O'D - in her statement to tribunal - O'D says "rumours circulated that a copy of the garda file had been given to Paul Williams and that it revealed Sgt McCabe was under investigation for child sexual abuse"..
#DisclosuresTribunal Charleton asks if O'D has any facts on which to base that claim. O'D says she cannot state he was handed a hard copy of file, though she knows hard copy files from Gardai were given to INM management
#DisclosuresTribunal O'D statement: "Since coming into contact with both Sgt McCabe and Gda Wilson, I have heard from both fellow journalists and some politicians of attempts being made to blacken their good names and reputations"
#DisclosuresTribunal O'D tells tribunal that she had been told by Wilson that Debbie McCann, from the Mail and whose father was a senior garda, was one of journalists putting word out about McCabe and D allegation
#DisclosuresTribunal Marrinan pushes O"D to say which journalists and politicians told her about these attempts to blacken McCabe. O'D says she can't name journalists and she's invoking privilege re: politicians
#DisclosuresTribunal Judge says he doesn't understand why O'D is invoking privilege re: politicians. Says several politicians have already been in the tribunal to say they were talking about it and rumours were circulating
#DisclosuresTribunal They move on. Marrinan SC, for tribunal, reads out: "I told him [Sgt McCabe] that certain journalists were attempting to interview the alleged vicitm and that it was intended by them to publish the story.."
#DisclosuresTribunal Asked who these journalists are, O'D says she's claiming privilege on that. Judge puts to O'D that she appears to be the person who wants to uncover conspiracies but is claiming privilege. Judge says other journalists are not sources, per say
#DisclosuresTribunal Marrinan reads out the line again. Judge says tribune knows about 3 papers (Mail, Sun, and Irish Independent) where journalists when to D house. Asked if she wants to add to that list, O'D ays no.
#DisclosuresTribunal Michael Keely, for Debbie McCann, asks if O"D has ever spoken or met McCann. O"D says no. Keely puts to O'D McCann has never met John Wilson. O'D says she accepts that if that's what she says.
#DisclosuresTribunal Keeley asks O'D if she had any evidence - other than what Wilson said - that McCann called Sgt McCabe a paedo. O'D says she doesn't believe she has.
#DisclosuresTribunal [After lengthy back and forth] Judge: Did you have a conversation with Wilson in which he said McCann told him McCabe was a paedo. O'D: It's my understanding first time I heard McCann's name, it was through Wilson and she was spreading these rumours.
#DisclosuresTribunal Sees email from O'D to Michael Denieffe on April 12 , 2013 at 00.50am in which she said the Callinan pp quash was a "cracking yarn". In response the next morning, at 8.37am, MD replied and in his reply says "this certainly is a cracking yarn".
#DisclosuresTribunal Counsel for INM reads out rest of email and suggests it was temperate response. MD referred to a "security ho-ha" because nobody could confirm it was her. O'D asks why did she get an apology over her dismissal & says she wants it read into record of tribunal
#DisclosuresTribunal Judge Charleton (again) talks about his need to keep things on the rails.
#DisclosuresTribunal INM counsel now going through (quickly) emails between O'D, Stephen Rae on April 12, 2013. Tribunal sees one from Stephen Rae in which he said to her...
#DisclosuresTribunal '... I do however need to set out a number of clear guidelines. ..All news stories that any journalist is working on require to be coordinate with senior management...irrespective of the merits of a story...'
#DisclosuresTribunal '...I cannot have journalists operating ouside accepted news management chain...I have no problem with holding prominent people to account but that clearly has to be done within the guidelines above...' Rae added OD should have debrief with operations editor
#DisclosuresTribunal Rae sent email on April 18, 2013, saying: "Gemma, Just to reiterate, it's a cracking yarn, no double. I just want to give it the best show on our biggest circulation day. I hope you understand this and please convey this to your source. Very best SR"
#DisclosuresTribunal O'D's story was published on Apr 19 2013.
#DisclosuresTribunal INM counsel puts to O'D that she's called Paul Williams a Garda puppet, garda hack..OD says she would generally agree with that. Says she believes Paul Wiliams has done a great disservice to Irish journalism.
#DisclosuresTribunal INM counsel puts to OD that the "wild and baseless" claim in her statement to tribunal - in which she claims Williams might have got Ms D Garda file - was because of an animosity towards PW.
#DisclosuresTribunal OD says she doesn't bear any personal ill feeling towards PW but she repeats she believes he's done a great disservice to her profession
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