McCabe to meet Garda ombudsman

Garda whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe is to meet the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission in the next two weeks as part of its investigation into the penalty points controversy.

Separately, Sgt McCabe is to meet the Government-appointed senior counsel investigating his dossier containing claims of malpractice within the force in the coming week.

Senior counsel Seán Guerin is investigating a dossier that contains cases Sgt McCabe claims were not properly investigated by gardaí, including allegations of murder, abduction and assault.

Sgt McCabe wrote to the GSOC in recent weeks inquiring about when he would give evidence to its inquiry into the penalty points affair.

It is understood he was keen to do so to avoid a repeat of the confusion surrounding whether he and fellow whistleblower John Wilson co-operated with the internal Garda inquiry into penalty points, which was carried out by assistant commissioner John O’Mahony.

Minister for Justice Alan Shatter settled public and political disquiet last week when he apologised to Sgt McCabe and Mr Wilson for his claim that they had not co-operated with the O’Mahony inquiry.

Mr Shatter also corrected the Dáil record, and said it was not his intention to cause any upset.

The Garda ombudsman replied to Sgt McCabe last Thursday, informing him of its intention to have him give evidence, which is expected to happen within two weeks.

Sgt McCabe has previously given evidence on the same topic to the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Oireachtas Committee of Public Accounts.

However, it is expected his presentation to the ombudsman will focus on alleged malpractice within the force around penalty points and related fixed price charges.

It is likely to steer away from the volume of quashed points, which was outlined to the Committee of Public Accounts, and the resulting lost revenue to the State, which was the comptroller’s focus.

Mr Shatter referred the penalty points issue to the ombudsman after it had been initially investigated by the committee.