‘Giving Taylor press off ice job a big error’

Callinan says appointment was his worst decision

APPOINTING David Taylor as his press officer was one of the worst mistakes of his life, former Garda commissioner Martin Callinan has said.

He said he had appointed Superintendent Taylor from a list of superintendents, believing him to have the right Garda experience.

‘I put him in there and the rest, as they say, is history as regards what’s unfolded.’

The tribunal is investigating Supt Taylor’s claim that he was directed by Mr Callinan to smear whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe to the media.

Mr Callinan was responding to a query from tribunal chairman, Judge Peter Charleton, as he concluded his third and final day in the witness box at the Disclosures Tribunal.

Judge Charleton observed: ‘I am still puzzled as to how you chose David Taylor, because whatever way you look at it, it must be one of the worst mistakes of your life.’

Mr Callinan responded firmly: ‘I absolutely agree, chairman.’

He said he had ‘no inkling’ that there was another side to Supt Taylor, and said he had no knowledge of any smear campaign that Supt Taylor may have conducted on his own.

Earlier in the day, Mr Callinan denied he was retrospectively changing his attitude to Sgt McCabe, or that gardaí had ‘ closed r anks’ against the whistleblower.

He said he never had any personal animus against Sgt McCabe, and that he believed he was performing a valuable service.

‘I never directed or gave any instruction to Supt Taylor to brief any journalists or any per- sons in the media negatively about Sgt McCabe,’ Mr Callinan affirmed.

Michael McDowell, SC for Sgt McCabe, said: ‘You have come to the tribunal to say that you had no difficulty with Sgt McCabe or any personal animus against him. In fact, you believe he was somebody performing a valuable service?’

The witness replied: ‘Correct, chairman, yes I have no difficulty with that.’

Counsel continued: ‘I have got to suggest to you that you are retrospectively changing everything. In fact, you believed that Sgt McCabe was behaving very improperly at the time.’

Mr Callinan said: ‘Only in the context of the manner in which Sgt McCabe was reporting what he was reporting. There were other avenues to go to first, ie, his authorities.’ He later added: ‘Why in the name of God did he not go to his authorities?’

The tribunal will continue next Tuesday, when former commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan is due to give evidence.