Claims of Garda-IRA collusion 'outrageous'

ALLEGATIONS OF collusion between gardaí and the IRA in the deaths of up to 12 people were “so outrageous” that if it was believed it would undermine the integrity of An Garda Síochána, former Garda commissioner Pat Byrne told the Smithwick Tribunal yesterday.

He told the public hearing how he had been concerned about speculation in the Dáil and in a book by journalist Toby Harnden, as well as an article in The Irish Times.

The Irish Timesarticle, a column by the paper's then diarist Kevin Myers, had suggested at least one member of the Garda in Dundalk had leaked information to the IRA that assisted in the murders of a number of RUC officers; Lord Justice Gibson and his wife; a Cooley farmer Tom Oliver; and the Hanna family.

He said the Kevin Myers article went "over the top". The book Bandit Country, South Armagh and the IRAmade similar claims.

Mr Myers has given evidence at the tribunal and Mr Harnden, currently in the US, has declined.

Resuming his evidence yesterday Mr Byrne said after the newspaper article appeared he believed “the right thing at the time was to appoint a senior Garda officer to investigate”.

He ordered the State’s highest-ranking investigative officer, det chief supt Seán Camon, to carry out an investigation. Should that inquiry reveal anything of substance then matters would have been “taken to the next level”, he said. However the Camon report, like an internal Garda report 12 years earlier, had concluded there was no evidence of collusion.

Mr Byrne told the tribunal he stood over the “comprehensive” nature of the Camon report even though it had not interviewed politicians who said they had relevant information. Mr Byrne said it was his understanding that Mr Camon, who is deceased, had taken the view that the politicians’ comments were based on the book and newspaper article.

But counsel for the RUC/PSNI, Mark Robinson QC, put it to Mr Byrne that it was very clear from a House of Commons record the DUP’s Jeffrey Donaldson MP had claimed to have carried out his own inquiry. Mr Robinson said an interview with Mr Donaldson could have revealed a double agent, Peter Keeley, who had substantial allegations to make in relation to Garda leaks to the IRA.

In an occasionally terse exchange, Mr Byrne agreed it had not crossed his mind on reading the report that Mr Donaldson should have been interviewed.

Mr Robinson responded: “That is a pretty stunning admission, Mr Byrne, you should have been relentless.” Mr Robinson also took issue with the initial inquiry which had taken place in 1989, the day after two RUC officers were killed in an IRA ambush minutes after leaving a meeting in Dundalk Garda station.

He said Mr Byrne had described it as an inquiry to “establish the circumstances” surrounding the meeting. But Mr Robinson said the report had concluded there was “no evidence of collusion”.

He asked Mr Byrne if he had wondered how the report could make such a conclusion when it was outside its remit. He also said the report had not interviewed all gardaí in the station on the day and had not asked those whom it did interview if they had any evidence of collusion.

The hearing continues.