My ‘disgusting’ remark at PAC was misconstrued
MARTIN Callinan has said comments in which he called the actions of whistleblowers ‘disgusting’ were misconstrued – but said he decided not to clarify them as he didn’t want to appear to be making excuses.
The former Garda commisioner caused a public storm in 2014 when he appeared before the Public Accounts Committee and condemned how whistleblowers Sgt McCabe and former garda John Wilson had gone about raising their complaints about the force.
‘Frankly, on a personal level, I think it’s quite disgusting,’ he had told the PAC.
Tribunal counsel Patrick Marrinan yesterday asked Mr Callinan if he felt his comment had been taken out of context.
Mr Callinan said that was absolutely correct. But asked if he regretted saying it, he said that it was a strong term and he had strong feelings about the issue.
He continued: ‘That particular comment was isolated and misconstrued to such a degree that there were miles of articles pillorying me and attaching that comment to an objection to Sgt McCabe reporting wrongdoing.
‘I can assure you that is very, very far removed from what I was talking about.’ He added that Sgt McCabe was correct to report wrongdoing.
He said the comment received ‘a hell of a lot of publicity’ but that he felt it wiser not to intervene’ as he believed it would ‘add fuel to the fire’.
Mr Callinan agreed that he had rejected a suggestion he should clarify that he had not meant the comment personally against the whistleblowers. He said he had not wanted to be seen as making excuses.