#DisclosuresTribunal Supt Dave Taylor is to start giving evidence at 11am.
#DisclosuresTribunal Supt Taylor has taken the stand. Diarmuid McGuinness SC, for the tribunal, is now questioning Supt Taylor. First question is about his career.
#DisclosuresTribunal Supt Taylor confirms he was transferred from Garda Press Office to Traffic on June 10, 2014. Tribunal hears he never applied for the GPO job originally.
#DIsclosuresTribunal Supt Taylor says he never worked with Martin Callinan prior to his position in GPO. And he confirms he never met Sgt McCabe before 2016.
#DisclosuresTribunal Supt Taylor is asked what was the first thing he heard which put McCabe in bad light. T says by early 2013, penalty points issue was raising its head and it was general knowledge a sgt from Cavan was raising it. Taylor said he wasn't aware of any other gossip
#DisclosuresTribunal Supt Taylor said he effectively had no training when he took the press office job save for 45-50min with Carr Communications
#DisclosuresTribunal McG, SC for tribunal, now raising the article in Irish Independent [Gemma O'Doherty] in 2013 about the quashing of penalty points concerning Callinan. Taylor said Callinan was very annoyed and felt it was in impingement on his privacy.
#DisclosuresTribunal hears Callinan was out of the country when report was published but he told Taylor how angry he was. Folowing this, there was a meeting of the managing director in company (Indo) Michael Denieffe and the Asst Comm John Twomey in Harcourt Square.
#DisclosuresTribuanl At this meeting Callinan's annoyance was passed on - over the fact a journalist had knocked on his door (to verify Callinan's address)
#DisclosuresTribunal Now hearing of changes Supt Taylor made when he took up his position as head of the Garda Press Office
#DisclosuresTribunal McG now asking about Callinan's retirement on March 23, 2014. Supt Taylor said he was never in the Commissioner's office again after Callinan's retirement.
#DisclosuresTribunal Of his relationship with Martin Callinan, Supt Taylor says: "It was an excellent relationship..I respected his position. I had a good relationship with him...I respected the man..we weren't personal friends."
#DisclosuresTribunal hears of text Taylor said to MC on 28/3/2014: "Commissioner
I feel so sorry for the way you have been treated. It's despicable. You will always be the boss to me and I am proud to have served under you and worked with you. You were inspirational to me..."
I feel so sorry for the way you have been treated. It's despicable. You will always be the boss to me and I am proud to have served under you and worked with you. You were inspirational to me..."
#DisclosuresTribunal [cntd] "I wish you and your family all the best for the future, and if I can do anything to help, please let me know. Dave."
#DisclosuresTribunal At this time, Supt Taylor tells McG that he didn't believe that he, Martin Callinan nor Noirin O'Sullivan was doing anything wrong.
#DisclosuresTribunal Asked why he made protected disclosure in Sept 2016, Supt Taylor said having had some time away from the guards he could see things clearer
#DisclosuresTribunal McGuinness puts to Taylor that he was under threat of disciplinary measures at time he made his protected disclosure. Taylor said he wouldn't agree with word "threat" but he was "aware".
#DisclosuresTribunal McGuinness SC, for the tribunal, is now going through Supt Taylor's protected disclosure.
#DisclosuresTribunal In his PD, Taylor said he was "currently on suspension arising out of a criminal investigation into media leaks regarding the Roma children" McG puts it to T it wasn't just the Roma children matter. Taylor agrees, says it was the headline incident.
#DisclosuresTribunal hears Supt Taylor doesn't contest the contacts that the CS Clerkin's investigation found he had with journalists during CS Clerkin's investigation (this pertained to time AFTER Supt Taylor's time in GPO)
#DisclosuresTribunal As he was under invest at the time, T is aked if it was his intention to get protection by making the PD, Taylor said it wasn't.
#DisclosuresTribunal He said: "No my intention was to provide this information to the relevant authorities, for them to make an assessment of it. I wasn't seeking any personal protection myself."
#DisclosuresTribunal Supt Taylor confirms to tribunal that it's his evidence that Mr Callinan directed the campaign against Sgt McCabe and Noirin O'Sullivan was aware of it. He also confirms that he fully briefed director of comms Andrew McLindon of everything that took place.
#DisclosuresTribunal Supt Taylor said he told Mr McLindon that Sgt McCabe was motivated out of revenge over the Ms D allegation from 2006. (Mr McLindon denied this allegation when he gave evidence and said he had no awareness of any smear campaign)
#DisclosuresTribunal Supt Taylor said in middle of 2013, Callinan told him that McCabe had been investigated years prev for alleged seuxal offence, it was fully investigated, went to DPP and DPP ruled no prosecution and this was the "epicentre" of Sgt McCabe's complaints.
#DisclosuresTribunal Supt Taylor said, at the time, Mr Callinan was "deeply frustrated" over the penalty points issue, etc.. Supt Taylor said ppl need to understand when image presented of AGS is bad "this is something, in their mind, that cannot be tolerated."
#DisclosuresTribunal Supt Taylor said he could recall Callinan saying to him, at one point "If people only knew what I have put up with". Supt Taylor said it was his instructions to relay to journalists there was a "back story" about Sgt McCabe.
#DisclosuresTribunal Supt Taylor can't give an exact day/date - but he says it was in middle of 2013 and it was on the same day Martin Callinan told him about the Ms D matter.
#DisclosuresTribunal Supt Taylor confirms there was nobody else present when MC allegedly gave him this instruction and there's no written evidence of it. Asked if it was ever repeated to him, Taylor said Callinan would say to him "are you getting that out? are people listening?"
#DisclosuresTribunal hears in his PD, Taylor said, in regards to media queries, "When that happened I would contact the Comm, either by phone or text, seeking his instructions or direction. On many occastions there would be a meeting to discuss the response and Dep Comm O'Sull.."
#DisclosuresTribunal [CTD] ".. would regularly be in attendance at these meetings." Hears again that Supt Taylor claims he was directed to say the Ms D complaint was the "root cause of his agenda - revenge against the gardai". Taylor can't recall first journalist he said this to.
#DisclosuresTribunal Taylor explains he took opportunity when he was in discussion with journalists. He said people knew he wasn't speaking as press officer but on behalf of Martin Callinan. Asked if he can recall last time he briefed anyone, Taylor said it all ended with MC left
#DisclosuresTribunal Taylor repeated that NOS knew of everything. Asked if she countermanded it when Callinan left, Taylor said he had very little contact with NOS after Callinan left.
#DisclosuresTribunal Taylor said people must understand context of Callinan's departure. Taylor: "It was the biggest upheaval in AGS in a generation since 1983 since the last commissioner was forced out. It was a state of flux..."
#DIsclosuresTribunal hears Paul Williams was only journalist named by Taylor in his protected disclosure. He said he got a call from PW and he said he was in the house of Ms D with a view to interviewing her. In the PD, T says he told MC and NOS
#DisclosuresTribunal In the PD, T incorrectly stated "No article was ever published". Although he only named PW, he also said "I spoke to various journalists on foot of the instructions as given to me by the Comm to encourage them to write negatively about Sgt McCabe.."
#DIsclosuresTribunal Asked if he spoke to any journalist before he made his protected disclosure, Supt Taylor said he spoke to Michael Clifford of the Irish Examiner
#DisclosuresTribunal McG now asking Supt Taylor about the pre-PAC meetings (before Callinan appeared at PAC in Jan 2014 in which he made his 'disgusting' remark).
#DisclosuresTribunal In his PD, Supt Taylor didn't refer to him hearing/seeing Callinan saying anything inappropriate after the PAC meeting (tribunal has since heard Supt Taylor has confirmed he heard Callinan calling Sgt McCabe a kiddie fiddler to John McGuinness TD)
#DisclosuresTribunal Supt Taylor confirms this to the tribunal and says "when I looked around, I could hear Com Call say that Sgt McCabe is a kiddie fiddler". Supt Taylor is asked why he didn't include that in his protected disclosure
#DisclosuresTribunal Supt Taylor said it was always his intention to do so and that he did subsequently tell the tribunal.
#DisclosuresTribunal Supt Taylor now talking about the car park meeting btwn Callinan and FF TD John McGuinnes. Taylor: "I was never, ever aware of the discussion between Martin Callinan and Deputy McGuinness." Sgt McCabe has told the tribunal DT did know about it.
#DisclosuresTribunal hears when Comm Callinan stood down he was very anxious that a letter be released to Paul Reynolds of RTE. Asked if he ensured that that happened, Supt Taylor confirmed he did.
#DisclosuresTribunal hears Supt Taylor's PD refers to huge number of texts between him, MC and NOS. Supt Taylor tells tribunal when he was interviewed [Clerkin investigation] he understood a lot of data was available and now he understands that data is not available.
#DislcosuresTribunal hears in Sgt McCabe's PD, he said in relation to his meeting with Taylor, Taylor "stated that he was now being targeted becayse he 'knew too much'." Taylor said he doesn't recall saying that.
#DisclosuresTribunal hears in Sgt McCabe's PD, he said Taylor said he was sending hundreds of negative exts about him and that he'd send them to NOS and senior gardai and that Callinan initially created them. Taylor said he didn't say this.
#DisclosuresTribunal hears in Sgt McCabe's PD, Sgt McCabe said Taylor said his 3 phones were seized form him under warrant and that these phones would show all the text messages he got from Callinan and sent on to NOS.
#DisclosuresTribunal Taylor says again that that was his understanding but now he understands that material is no longer available (see earlier tweet).
#disclosurestribunal Hears of radio interview involving Michael Clifford, of Irish Examiner, and a radio interview involving TD Clare Daly. From Ms Daly's interview... 
#DisclosuresTribunal has previously heard that Deputy McGuinness claims Taylor also told him about the sending of texts as part of the alleged smear campaign. Taylor repeats that he only sent texts in respect of media updates re: Sgt McCabe
#DisclosuresTribunal In a legal letter to Taoiseach, Supt Taylor had drew attention to his phones and texts on those phones. Asked what texts he was expecting to be found on his phones, he said texts between him, Callinand and NOS about updates and interactions re: McCabe.
#DisclosuresTribunal McGuinness asks was he not directing Justice O'Neill (who did scope investigation into PDs) that the texts would be proof of the smear campaign. He said this wasn't the case.
#DisclosuresTribunal Supt Taylor is also asked about a concern he relayed to O'Neill about an old phone of his. Supt Taylor said: "I had a concern in relation to my phone. That was in relation to the activation of my phone. My phone was taken from me on May 29, 2015 and all...
#DisclosuresTribunal [ctd]'.... devices were removed from me. And in Nov 2015 a neighbour came around...during course of conversation, she said you still have your Garda phone. I said 'no, I haven't had it in 6 months'...she said 'that's strange' because there had been...'
#DisclosuresTribunal '...a friend request to a Viber account from this old phone.' Supt Taylor said he was concerned about the activation of this phone.
#DisclosuresTribunal Judge Charleton interrupts to clarify matters. Taylor's phone which he used from Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 was never recovered. (Tribunal has already heard this when Ins Moroney confirmed that when T changed his phone in Sept 2014, he kept the old (2013) phone)
#DisclosuresTribunal Taylor confirms he did keep the phone, screen was cracked and his daughter used it. Taylor says it's his understanding when he handed his phone to Ins Moroney for replacement (in Sept 2014) he believed all data was migrated to his new phone.
#DisclosuresTribunal But Ins Moroney has already said that this was not the case and this didn't happen.
#DisclosuresTribunal has broke for lunch.
#DisclosuresTribunal Supt Taylor is back and hears that, again, Supt Taylor was of the understanding that texts can be obtained from phones without having the handset.
#DisclosuresTribunal Supt Taylor says, during Clerkin investigation were put to him in relation to Roma investigation. (Roma matter occurred in Oct 2013). McGuinness asks him if texts during that were put to him from his time in GPO. Taylor can't recall.
#DisclosuresTribunal in relation to a legal letter, outlining his view that texts would be available even if handset missing, Taylor: 'I made it on layman's basis that my understanding is text messages don't disappear...they're stored in some back office, some back facility..'
#DislcosuresTribunal McGuinness returns to the alleged briefing of journalists. McG asks: When you were raising this issue with them, were you doing it with a way so it was conveyed you couldn't be quoted on it?. Taylor: It was for background info. It wouldn't be attributed
#DisclosuresTribunal Asked if he imposed a restriction on his briefings to journalists, Taylor said in this type of briefing, it was a discussion, in which he was to present the view of Garda HQ.
#DisclosuresTribunal Taylor says with the AGS there's official press conferences, official briefings and then off-the-record/unofficial briefings.
#DisclosuresTribunal McG asks (a few times) if he has said in his PD or statements to tribunal if he briefed journalists as a "confidential source". Taylor repeated he was speaking as garda press officer on behalf of the commissioner.
#DisclosuresTribunal Eventually Supt Taylor said concedes that yes, he didn't state in PD/statements that he briefed journalists as a "confidential source"
#DisclosuresTribunal hears that Supt Taylor has waived any privilege over his identification as source of any info, briefing, allegation or belief communicated to journalists in print, broadcasting, or other media re: McCabe
#DisclosuresTribunal Taylor is asked if he spoke to any journalists before execution of that waiver? Taylor says no.
#DisclosuresTribunal Taylor says it was his intention to fully assist the tribunal with its work re: the waiver.
#DisclosuresTribunal hears in his statements to tribunal Supt Taylor says he's seeking the journalists he's named as having been briefed by him to come fwd and testify to trib - irrespective if it supports his contention or not. Taylor agrees. Says he's here to assist
#DisclosuresTribunal In a statement to tribunal, Taylor said he didn't have his phones from his time in GPO but said messages from 2013 and 2014 were put to him during Clerkin investigation in May 2015. McGuinness: "You know that's not correct?"
#DisclosuresTribunal Taylor replies 'no'...and says information was put to him in relation to the Roma investigation, concerning the incident in Tallaght and his engagement with the Supt in Tallaght. McG: "Don't you know data was put to you that you made calls to each other?"
#DisclosuresTribunal Taylor said this was correct and would be normal. McGuinness said last week, the tribunal heard evidence that texts from Taylor's phone in 2013 weren't put to him and that this wasn't challenged by Supt Taylor's legal team.
#DisclosuresTribunal McGuinness repeats: "Are you still saying, or not, that the garda have texts from your period as press officer and that they showed them to you while you were being detained?"
#DisclosuresTribunal Taylor: "During my detention a lot of info was put. My understanding and belief was they had all the information from my time as press officer."
#DisclosuresTribunal returning to the briefing of journalists, tribunal hears again how Taylor claims he dropped in the Ms D complaint. Taylor says Ms D's name was generally known in Garda HQ.
#DisclosuresTribunal Supt Taylor said his briefings to journalists were "opportunist" and "random"
#DisclosuresTribunal Supt Taylor tells tribunal that, in relation to Paul Williams, of Irish Independent, who interviewed Ms D in March 2014 and and wrote 4 articles which were published April/May 2014 "I didn't send him up there, I didn't know he was up there until he rang me"
#DisclosuresTribunal sees billing records of contacts btwn Taylor and Williams in February 2014. McGuinness suggest there was a huge amount of contact between them.
#DisclosuresTribunal Taylor repeats that he didn't know Paul Williams was going up to Ms D's house. Asked what he said when he called, Taylor said PW rang him and said 'Guess where I am?' before explaining he was at Ms D's house
#DisclosuresTribunal Taylor repeats that the first he ever knew PW was going to that house, was when PW rang him. McG: Were you pleased that he had gone there and done this job? Taylor: Yes.. it'd feed into narrative... that a story would be written (negative about Sgt McCabe)
#DisclosuresTribunal hears that Taylor has nominated Paul Williams as one of the journalists to whom he briefed negatively about Sgt McCabe
#DisclosuresTribunal Asked about all the contact they had in Feb 2014 (what was it about?) Taylor said he believes it was about the GSOC bugging story at that time.
#DisclosuresTribunal sees list of calls btwn Taylor and Williams from Jan 28, 2013 and July 29, 2014. McGuinness asks if seeing the list triggers a memory for him as to when he allegedly neg briefed PW, Taylor repeats it was random and opportune
#DisclosuresTribunal Taylor "I'm confident that I did brief Mr Williams"
#DisclosuresTribunal McGuinness says it's Paul Williams' evidence that Supt Taylor didn't neg brief him. Says PW says he did contact Taylor and had a number of questions for him. Taylor says no, it was a call to tell him what he was doing.
#DisclosuresTribunal McGuinness now calls up transcript of when Paul Williams' gave evidence last summer. Summary here: broadsheet.ie/2017/07/18/tha…
#DisclosuresTribunal is reminded PW's evidence is that after he interviewed Ms D, he contacted T and put questions to him: Did investigation take place? who was involved? What was the decision of DPP? Was Insp Cunningham invovled? Was there an arrest? Was it put on PULSE?
#DisclosuresTribunal PW also said about a week later, over phone, Taylor came back to him and confirmed the investigation took place, a file was sent to the DPP and there was no charges.
#DisclosuresTribunal Taylor says that the phone call was an information phone call and that he passed on the information to Martin Callinan and Noirin O'Sullivan.
#DisclosuresTribunal Taylor confirms that it's still his position (as it was put to PW by Taylor's counsel last summer) that PW didn't seek any information.
#DisclosuresTribunal Taylor's counsel put to PW at the time (last summer) there was no contact between them after the call about Ms D's interview. Billing records show extensive calls after this date. T says the calls weren't about Ms D matter. Says they never discussed it again.
#DisclosuresTribunal Paul Williams’ first article re: Ms D was published in the Irish Independent, on April 12, 2014, headlined: “Girl wants new probe into alleged sex assault by Garda".
#DisclosuresTribunal Looking at billing records, McGuinness asks if he could have called Paul Williams - after his first article about Ms D - to congratulate him. He said no.
#DIsclosuresTribunal McGuinness points out that two journalists (IMOS Debbie McCann and Irish Sun's Eavan Murray) had previously gone to the Ms D house (but they didn't write any articles). Taylor says he knew they were going up and they hadn't got the story.
#DisclosuresTribunal Taylor said in relation to Paul Williams' phone call, Supt Taylor passed the info on to NOS and told her that PW was going to write a neg article about McCabe. Asked about her reaction, Taylor said she took it as a "very unremarkable phone call"
#DisclosuresTribunal Taylor repeats that he doesn't know what promoted Paul Williams to go to Ms D. Taylor: How he got up there, that's not in my knowledge. (It's been PW's evidence that he met Ms D after Det Supt John O’Reilly - who knew Mr D - put them in contact)
#DisclosuresTribunal Judge Charleton steps in to pin down exactly what PW said to him on the phone. Taylor: "..it was a pure confirmation phone call to me, telling me where he was, what he was doing." Taylor says it's his evidence that he was to pass this info on to Callinan/NOS
#DisclosuresTribunal hears in a statement to the tribunal, IMOS journalist Alison O'Reilly says colleague Debbie McCann had got the name of the girl who was allegedly abused by McCabe from the gardai and she said she was going to Cavan and was going to "get the girl to talk"
#DisclosuresTribunal AOR says she asked McCann if she was sure McCabe was a child abuser. AOR said McC said she & all gardai hated him. AOR claims McCann's father, a garda, confirmed the story. AOR claims McCann called McCab "paedophile" "child abuser" and "dirty fucking bastard"
#DisclosuresTribunal AOR also says in statement that McCann said she spent an hour with the alleged victim. [Tribunal heard last year from Mrs D that McCann was essentially turned away from the house. McGuinness tells tribunal it's McCann's evidence she didn't interview Ms D]
#DisclosuresTribunal These are nine journalists identified by Taylor as having been briefed by Taylor negatively: Paul Williams, Paul Reynolds, Conor Lally, John Mooney, Michael O'Toole, Cormac O'Keeffe, John Burke, Daniel McConnell, Juno McEnroe
#DisclosuresTribunal These are listed in letter from Taylor's legal team (to tribunal). It also has the line: "Without access to records as referred to above, he cannot confirm this list definitively." Asked if any of journs contacted him since beginning of tribunal, Taylor: No.
#DisclosuresTribunal is show 12 pages of contacts from 2012 to 2014 btw Taylor and Paul Reynolds (these are contacts from Taylor TO Paul Reynolds). Asked if it would be fair there would be an equal amount of contacts the other direction, Taylor says that would be fair assumption
#DisclosuresTribunal McGuinness goes to statement from Paul Reynolds, of RTE. In he says: "I was not negatively briefed by anyone in relation to Sgt McCabe verbally, by text, email or any other form of communication."
#DisclosuresTribunal McGuinness puts it to Taylor that seems like a clear position from Mr Reynolds. Taylor says he doesn't agree with it. Taylor repeats he did neg brief about McCabe to PR and, like he said earlier, he can't identify specific dates but it was opportune
#DisclosuresTribunal Judge Peter Charleton steps in and puts it to Taylor that he says it happened and PR says he didn't...Judge asks what PR's reaction would have been, could he recall any specific incident in which a neg brief took place?
#DisclosuresTribunal Taylor, again, says he can't recall any specific date. Charleton: 'He didn't ever turn to you and say 'you don't say'..'that's the first time I heard that'...this is news to me...'
#DisclosuresTribunal Taylor says conversation would sometimes comes up and sometimes doesn't. Taylor repeats he's trying to be as helpful as possible.
#DisclosuresTribunal McG asked if he kept a tick list of journalists to brief. Taylor says there's a small cohort of journalists in crime. Taylor adds: "The media is quite small in this country."
#DisclosuresTribunal McGuinness goes to statement to tribunal from RTE's John Burke. In his statement to the tribunal, and asked in numerous ways if he was neg briefed, Burke categorically states 'no'
#DisclosuresTribunal Asked if he was contacted by Taylor in relation to Sgt McCabe, Burke: "No". Was Ms D allegation brought to his attention, Burke: "No"
#DisclosuresTribunal Asked if he's sure about journalists he claims to have spoken to, Taylor says he is and adds: "I know who I spoke to."
#DisclosuresTribunal McGuinness (and judge) points out that in his legal team's letter to tribunal, he said "Without access to records as referred to above, he cannot confirm this list definitively." Taylor maintains he's sure of his list.
#DisclosuresTribunal McG goes to list of contacts btwn John Burke and Taylor in 2013/2014. The list is relatively short. Taylor points out that the list doesn't include his landline calls. Judge Charleton says he's not sure they're missing a lot & adds matter will be returned to
#DisclosuresTribunal McGuinness says Paul Williams, Paul Reynolds and John Burke all say they weren't neg briefed. McG asks if he was ineffectual in his briefing. Taylor disagrees.
#DisclosuresTribunal McG says it's Taylor's case the purpose of the briefings was to create a chill factor. McG asks if he believes he was successful. Taylor: A lot of media didn't support Maurice McCabe in his endeavours.
#DisclosuresTribunal Taylor says only reaction he can recall was from Conor Lally, of Irish Times, when he "pushed back" over the claim about John O'Mahony investigation into penalty points (and the claim Sgt McCabe didn't cooperate with the JOM investigation)
#DisclosuresTribunal McGuinness now goes to the statement to the tribunal of Juno McEnroe, of Irish Examiner. Asked if he had any info about any orchestrated campaign, McEnroe said "No". Taylor points out he wouldn't have known about "campaign" but he'd know about DT's "briefing"
#DisclosuresTribunal sees one page of contacts btw Taylor and McEnroe. Asked if seeing the billing records triggers memory of any contact, Taylor says as McEnroe is a political journalist, it would have been around time of penalty points issue.
#DisclosuresTribunal hears in statement to tribunal, Michael O'Toole, of Irish Daily Star said "I am going to claim journalistic privilege" and says this is "very important to me". But he adds he categorically doesn't believe there was any campaign against McCabe
#DisclosuresTribunal Also hears in his statement, O'Toole says he has submitted to the tribunal articles he wrote about Sgt McCabe which were "very benign". O'Toole also says he never pitched any stories about McCabe to his news desk.
#DisclosuresTribunal hears Conor Lally, Cormac O'Keeffe, Daniel McConnell, John Mooney, Eavan Murray and Debbie McCann are all claiming journalistic privilege but nothing they've said to the tribunal corroborates Supt Taylor's claims
#DisclosuresTribunal hears in statement to the tribunal - Taylor says he didn't hear what Philip Boucher Hayes claims Martin Callinan said to him at time of Crimecall programme in Dec 2013. PBH's claim is here: broadsheet.ie/2018/04/12/bri…
#DisclosuresTribunal Tribunal sees billing records showing contacts btw him and John Mooney of Sunday Times. Taylor says he believes he would have neg briefed Mooney in 2013.
#DisclosuresTribunal Asked if Mooney ever approached him about Sgt McCabe. Taylor says Mooney had extensive contacts and was a very experienced, well established journalist.
#DisclosuresTribunal Again, Taylor says you give information and how journalists process it, is up to them. McGuinness recalls how some politicians from Leinster House have told how there was a general rumour out there. Taylor says "It wasn't a State secret, it was well known"
#DisclosuresTribunal McGuinness goes to billing records of contacts between Taylor and Cormac O'Keefe, of Irish Examiner.
#DisclosuresTribunal McG puts to Taylor if he ever asked journalists he claims to have briefed how his campaign was going. He said 'no' and repeats the purpose of campaign was: to make ppl pause before supporting McCabe & have chill effect on writing articles in support of him
#DisclosuresTribunal McG puts to T he never did anything like this before. He agrees. As it was the first time for him carry out a neg briefing, McG asks was he not apprehensive there'd be a bad reaction to it. Taylor said "you'd be careful about who you'd approach"
#DisclosuresTribunal Taylor adds "Not all journalists were to be approached" Asked if he consulted with Callinan about who he was briefing, Taylor said they were clear about who would NOT be briefed. Asked who wouldn't be, Taylor said Michael Clifford and Katie Hannon
#DisclosuresTribunal McG goes to billing records btw Taylor and Debbie McCann. McG points out there's a lot of call from Taylor to her. McG asks why he omitted McCann's name in the initial list of journalists he claimed to have neg briefed (in April 2017)
#DisclosuresTribunal McG points out T says he knew McCann was going to the Ms D house (in early 2014). Taylor said he was going to complete the list. McG points out he also omitted name of Eavan Murray (of Irish Sun) in the April 2017 list and also knew she had gone to Ms D too
#DisclosuresTribunal Asks when he believes he neg briefed McCann, Taylor said: "I can't give exact date" but says it would have been in 2013
#DisclosuresTribunal Taylor confirms he would have known McCann's father John McCann, a retired senior guard, to see and say hello to.
#DisclosuresTribunal Asked how Debbie McCann responded to this alleged briefing, Taylor says journalists are very hard nosed and they get a lot of information.
#DisclosuresTribunal Asked about McCann's visit to Ms D, Taylor said she told him she was going up to try and meet person at centre of the allegation.Taylor said he didn't know exactly when she was going up.
#DisclosuresTribunal Taylor says McCann would have called him a day or two beforehand and he says he thinks it would have been Feb/March 2014.
#DisclosuresTribunal hearing has ended for today. Resumes at 10am tomorrow.
#DisclosuresTribunal Tweet above should say 'AOR said McC said she WAS [sure] and all gardai hated him'. Apologies.
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