RTÉ re-enactment edit 'unfortunate' for liaison officer

A deeply unfortunate and unpleasant impression was created on RTÉ radio's Morning Ireland that the Garda liaison officer to the…

A deeply unfortunate and unpleasant impression was created on RTÉ radio's Morning Ireland that the Garda liaison officer to the tribunal was not interested when a garda came to her wanting to tell the truth, the hearing was told.

The programme featured a re-enactment from the transcript of Tuesday's evidence concerning Chief Supt Terry McGinn, who was Garda liaison officer to the tribunal, tribunal counsel Peter Charleton SC said.

She fulfilled that post with distinction for three years before being promoted to chief superintendent running the Donegal division, he said.

During the course of the reconstruction of evidence given by Det Garda John Dooley, a "deeply unfortunate and unpleasant impression has been created" concerning Chief Supt McGinn in the way it was edited. The extract dealt with how Det Garda Dooley came to a position where he was determined to tell the truth.

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It said the garda had said he had gone to then Supt McGinn but "I didn't think she wanted to hear it, I was so upset at the time". That was where the broadcast ended.

The transcript went on and said Det Garda Dooley said he very much received appropriate support from Chief Supt McGinn. She visited him regularly in hospital and told him to be honest and tell the truth. She contacted him regularly by phone and was extremely supportive.

Mr Charleton said all who had worked with Chief Supt McGinn had great respect for the assistance she had given to the tribunal and it would be unfair to her that listeners might think she just was not interested in the truth.

The chairman, Mr Justice Frederick Morris, said it might well convey an entirely wrong impression, so hopefully, the record might well be corrected and set right. It would be quite wrong if anybody was left with the idea that Chief Supt McGinn was not extremely helpful to the tribunal in its work.