During three meetings with senior Garda officers in 1997, Mr James Gogarty made allegations of corruption about a member of the Garda Siochana, and about planners and politicians, the tribunal was told. The allegations about the garda officer were later withdrawn by Mr Gogarty.
He had alleged the officer was corrupt because he had not forwarded a file to the DPP on alleged threatening phone calls made to Mr Gogarty in June 1994.
Det Insp Gerard Harrington told the tribunal yesterday that on February 10th he received directions from his commanding officer, Chief Insp Michael Carolan, to investigate a complaint made by Mr Gogarty.
That complaint stemmed from a verbal statement to another officer on November 22nd, 1996. Mr Desmond O'Neill SC, for the tribunal, asked if the complaint alleged impropriety against another serving member of the Garda Siochana whom he would call the investigating officer. Mr Harrington said it did. He learned of an allegation being made that the investigating officer was involved in wrongdoing which in the opinion of Mr Gogarty was attributable to some corrupt motive. It was the inspector's task to investigate the complaint and find whether there was any substance in it.
There was another investigation being carried on by Det Supt John McElligott regarding allegations of planning corruption in Dublin. The two officers met and discussed the allegations and decided to submit one joint investigation file on the matter.
They met Mr Gogarty at his home in Clontarf on February 15th, 1997. Mr Harrington said that he had met Mr Gogarty once before when he made the appointment for the meeting. Det Supt McElligott led the inquiry in the sense that he was the senior officer and he conducted the conversation. Mr Harrington said he basically listened.
He attended three meetings with Mr Gogarty and Det Supt McElligott, on February 15th, February 22nd, and March 8th, 1997. Asked if he took notes, Mr Harrington said: "No, sir, I did not. At the outset Mr Gogarty asked us not to take any action on what he was saying, that everything was without prejudice."