The chairman of the Morris Tribunal has told Mr Frank McBrearty jnr he will not tolerate criticism of the tribunal staff at the inquiry into Garda corruption in Donegal.
The comments came after Mr McBrearty complained yesterday morning that senior counsel for the tribunal Mr Peter Charleton SC and Ms Paul McDermott SC had told him they "don't care" if he and his father attended or not at the current module, which is looking into the Garda investigation following the death of Raphoe cattle dealer Mr Richie Barron.
Mr McBrearty said his father was "trying to get to the truth and if Mr Charleton doesn't like the truth, then that's not my problem."
"I would ask you to discontinue comments of that nature," chairman Mr Justice Frederick Morris said in response. "You are highly-critical of many people and that's your prerogative, if you wish to criticise people that is your right to do so, but I must draw the line where you are criticising either me, or any member of the personnel that are working for me, and I am using that term in the broadest sense."
The chairman also heard from Mr Frank McBrearty snr, who told the tribunal he was having difficulty working without legal assistance. "We are not lawyers, we find it very hard," said Mr McBrearty snr. "We're only lay people from Donegal."
"Please rest assured that the tribunal is doing its best to help everybody," the chairman said. "It doesn't help if we are subjected to criticism left, right and centre, and if I may say so, the criticism is coming all one direction, and that is from your family.
"There was a statement made that counsel employed by the tribunal were trying to prevent the truth coming out. Not only was it said today, but it was said on a previous occasion. And on that occasion I requested that comment be withdrawn and it wasn't withdrawn, and it stands on the record, and that is not worthy of you, of your family."
Mr McBrearty snr said he had not criticised the tribunal. However Mr McBrearty jnr refused to withdraw his comments.
Later Mr McBrearty jnr said a car handed in for forensic examination by Garda John O'Dowd was not the one he was driving on the night Mr Richie Barron died. He asked former tribunal investigator Chief Supt Brian Steel Garvie if this had been investigated. "I don't know," said Chief Supt Garvie. "If that is in fact true, I think it's up to the Garda investigators with their knowledge to follow up on that."