Tribunal views 'Insight' programme

A UTV Insight programme which aired claims by members of the RUC that there was an IRA mole in Dundalk Garda station was shown at the Smithwick Tribunal this morning.

The programme, which was originally screened in 2004, featured a former  British secret agent known as Kevin Fulton and two RUC officers.

Fulton and one of the RUC officers identified only as "Robert" claimed to know the name of the IRA informer among the gardaí. The name was not disclosed during the programme.

The other RUC man interviewed - known to the tribunal as Witness 41 - is to give evidence to the tribunal this afternoon.

The programme also claimed the name of the garda was known to RUC Chief Supt Harry Breen, who was murdered along with his colleague Supt Bob Buchanan minutes after they left a meeting in Dundalk Garda station in March 1989.

In the programme, Fulton is seen saying he knew the IRA to have staged operations based on information gleaned from the unnamed garda. Fulton also claimed to have met the garda in the company of senior IRA activists when he was posing as an IRA member.

"It was common knowledge…there was a problem with a garda," Fulton said in one scene, while in another he said the identity of the garda was "the worst kept secret" in IRA circles.

But the programme also maintained these allegations were also known to senior gardaí.

The RUC officer called “Robert” said RUC personnel had been told by senior gardai not to disclose travel or any other arrangements around the suspect garda.

The second RUC officer said he "would have heard rumours" about the presence of a mole in Dundalk Garda station.

In addition to Witness 41, journalist Kevin Myers gave evidence this afternoon on his personal knowledge of allegations against a garda in Dundalk.