Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Tánaiste was aware in 2014, when Deputy Martin handed over the file from the individual who met with him which related to allegations of sexual abuse against Sergeant Maurice McCabe. The file was examined by the DPP which issued no prosecution. The Tánaiste was aware of that because she was the Minister who had to pass that on to the independent review mechanism. When she saw this email in May 2015 she was aware that the Garda Commissioner was instructing her legal team to put those accusations which had been dismissed by the DPP and the independent review commission to the sergeant. Allegations of sexual misconduct were put to him, and the Tánaiste was aware of that. All the evidence points to that. The Tánaiste decided to do nothing, and she denies seeing that email. How can that stand up to any test of credibility, given that this person was a central figure in the resignation of a Minister for Justice and Equality and two Secretaries General? How can the Tánaiste credibly tell us that, as parliamentarians, given that she knew that the issue referred to in this email was the same issue levelled against that same garda? This was being orchestrated by the Commissioner at that time.

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