Clare’s Fianna Fáil TD has rejected any suggestion that his party should issue an apology to Frances Fitzgerald in the wake of the findings of the Disclosures Tribunal.
It found two senior Gardai were involved in a smear campaign against the Garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe, while it effectively cleared the former Tánaiste and Justice Minister, who resigned over an email controversy.
Fianna Fáil said at the time that it would vote against Francis Fitzgerald in a motion of no confidence.
The report, published yesterday, found that former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan and former press officer Superintendent Dave Taylor engaged in a smear campaign to harm the garda whistleblower’s reputation.
Judge Peter Charleton also concluded Sergeant McCabe was a genuine person who was “repulsively denigrated for being no more than a good citizen and police officer”.
The Garda Commissioner has said that while the Charleton Report makes for difficult reading, it’s vital that the organisation takes it as an opportunity to change how it operates.
Drew Harris says he’s setting up a group to examine its contents to identify the lessons to be learnt and changes to be made, and says he’ll ensure Maurice McCabe and Garda personnel referenced in the report receive appropriate supports.
Sergeant McCabe has told RTE’s Prime Time that he now wants to move on on get back to his normal job.
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The report also vindicated the actions of Frances Fitzgerald, who last year resigned as Tánaiste over a controversy which arose after it emerged that she had noted emails sent to her which informed her of a legal strategy to discredit Sgt. McCabe at the O’Higgins Commission.
This led Fianna Fáil to say they would vote against her in a confidence vote, and briefly threatened an election until Ms. Fitzgerald stood aside.
But while she has now been cleared by Mr. Justice Charleton, Clare’s Fianna Fáil TD doesn’t believe she’s due an apology.
Timmy Dooley says her actions when details of the controversy came to light left a lot to be desired:
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