Government expects statement from Garda Commissioner

Ministers expect a statement this morning from the Garda Commissioner, Nóirín O’Sullivan, ahead of a Dáil debate on the report of the O’Higgins Commission today.

Although there was doubt in political circles yesterday that the commissioner would respond to the suggestions she issue a statement, senior political sources last night said it was their expectation that further information would be forthcoming this morning.

The Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Minister for Justice and other Ministers have said repeatedly in recent days that they expect the commissioner to issue a statement which will deal with apparent contradictions between her public statements of support for Maurice McCabe and her confidential instructions to her counsel at the O’Higgins inquiry hearings.

The apparent contradiction was exposed by leaks of the transcripts of the inquiry’s hearings.

Transcripts

While the commissioner has backed Garda whistleblower Sgt McCabe in public, the transcripts show her legal team had instructions to attack his credibility and motivation in making his complaints.

However, since last week Ministers have been saying that they expect the commissioner will provide further information.

There was no statement from Garda Headquarters last night, and Garda sources said they had no knowledge that one was imminent.

However, political sources confirmed that it was the expectation of Ministers that further information would be issued by the commissioner this morning.

It is understood that officials from the Department of Justice and the commissioner’s office have been in contact in recent days.

Ministers have been careful in recent days to express support for the commissioner, but also to establish some distance between Government and Garda Headquarters on the O’Higgins report.

Questions about the report’s findings and also about the contents of the leaked transcripts are likely to be raised in Dáil statements today.