A formal apology by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, to Garda whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe was delivered to the wrong address.
The chief executive of the agency, Fred McBride, has confirmed a written apology was sent to the McCabe family. This follows revelations that Tusla sent a file containing false allegations of child sexual abuse against the Garda whistleblower to An Garda Síochána.
It has emerged the correspondence was sent to neighbours of the McCabe family. It was found by a daughter of the elderly female neighbour, who then delivered it to Sgt McCabe.
Fianna Fáil TD John McGuinness said this highlighted an “extraordinary incompetence” within the agency.
An internal review is being carried out by Tusla to assess how the allegations were wrongly sent to the Garda and circulated widely among senior members of the force.
The file, which wrongly stated Mr McCabe was the subject of an allegation of child sexual abuse, was opened in August 2013. In May 2014, it was discovered to be an error, but remained active on the Tusla system until recently.
His four children were part of the file, but the garda was not informed of the complaint until late in December 2015.
Errors
Minister for Children Katherine Zappone was informed of the litany of errors in January when she met Sgt McCabe and his wife Lorraine.
Mrs McCabe had contacted the Department of Health on January 18th this year seeking to speak to someone about concerns she had about Tusla. She was redirected to the Department of Children.
Ms Zappone then met the couple, who outlined the depth of the error to the Minister. However, she did not inform her Cabinet colleagues or the Taoiseach and Tánaiste.
Several Ministers have privately expressed dismay at her decision not to raise it at the weekly meeting on Tuesday. The meeting focused on the terms of reference for the commission of inquiry into allegations Sgt McCabe was the subject of a smear campaign by senior gardaí. However, Ms Zappone did not declare her knowledge of the Child and Family Agency’s error.
In a statement yesterday she insisted she informed the relevant Government colleagues, but declined to identify them. Ms Fitzgerald is currently in the US.
Speaking privately, one Cabinet Minister said Ms Zappone had shown a level of naivety or outright incompetence on this occasion.
“We spent a significant portion of the meeting discussing this very issue, and to not say a word about her meeting or the information she had is incomprehensible.”
Senior gardaí
The treatment of Sgt McCabe by Garda management will be investigated by the commission, headed by Mr Justice Peter Charleton. It will look into claims that senior gardaí, including Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan, orchestrated a smear campaign against Sgt McCabe in an attempt to discredit him.
Ms O’Sullivan, who has been called on to stand aside temporarily pending the inquiry, has repeatedly rejected allegations that she was involved in an attempt to damage Sgt McCabe’s reputation.
The Government will examine changes to the terms of reference this week, and it is expected to include an examination of Tusla’s contacts with gardaí. However, the Department of Justice has said it does not anticipate a full redraw of the scope of the inquiry.
Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald said Mr Justice Charleton must investigate whether there was collusion between gardaí and Tusla.
Mr McGuinness joined calls by Sinn Féin, Labour, Fine Gael TD Michael D’Arcy and a number of Independents, including Mick Wallace and Clare Daly, calling for the Garda Commissioner to vacate her position.
Mr McGuinness said he would be asking his party leader, Micheál Martin, and his colleagues to support calls for her to stand aside. However, the party noted Ms O’Sullivan has no finding of fact made against her.
A spokesman for Taoiseach Enda Kenny added that his view had not changed, and Ms O’Sullivan retained the Government’s confidence.
Ms O’Sullivan spoke briefly to the media yesterday to say her thoughts were with Sgt McCabe and his family.
