A TRIBUNAL investigating allegations senior gardaí orchestrated a smear campaign against whistleblower Maurice McCabe has found top officers had a plan to spread false sex abuse claims about him.
The Disclosures Tribunal found former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan was part of a "campaign of calumny" against Sergeant McCabe. It said he was actively aided by his former press officer Superintendent David Taylor.
Sgt McCabe had accused the force of malpractice, including the quashing of penalty points, and later made a complaint against Mr Callinan.
The tribunal said it was convinced Supt Taylor "pursued a scheme that somehow evolved out of his cheek-by-jowl" working relationship with Mr Callinan.
The report found Sgt McCabe was a "genuine person" who at all times has "had the interests of the people of Ireland uppermost in his mind".
It found he regarded those interests as "superior to any loyalty" which he had to the Garda.
The Disclosures Tribunal investigated allegations that Garda chiefs orchestrated a smear campaign, including false historic sex abuse claims, against Sgt McCabe.
Supt Taylor, who worked for the press office between 2012 and 2014, had claimed he was ordered by Mr Callinan to negatively brief journalists about Sgt McCabe.
The report said it did not accept Supt Taylor's evidence that he was given specific instructions by Mr Callinan to spread the false sex allegations.
It also said Supt Taylor's "credibility was completely undermined by his own bitterness".
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, a former senior PSNI and RUC officer, said the report made for "difficult reading".
"Given the significance and scale of the report, I will be establishing a group to examine Mr Justice Charleton's findings from policy, process, discipline and cultural perspectives to identify the lessons to be learnt and changes to be made," he said.
