Third interim report of the tribunal of inquiry into protected disclosures made under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 and certain other matters Established by the Minister for Justice and Equality under the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Acts 1921 to 2004, on 17th February 2017 by instrument Chairman: The Honourable Mr Justice Peter Charleton Report on matters dealing with the conduct of the Health Service Executive, the Child and Family Agency (TUSLA), Raidió Teilifís Éireann, Garda Headquarters, and Garda officers concerning Sergeant Maurice McCabe and related matters pursuant to terms of reference (a) to (o) Solicitor to the tribunal: Elizabeth Mullan Registrar to the tribunal: Peter Kavanagh 2 3 4 Contents A note on structure ............................................................................................................. 10 Part 1: Report on the TUSLA file and Sergeant Maurice McCabe .................................... 10 The relevant terms of reference .......................................................................................................... 10 Debate on tribunal reports ................................................................................................................. 13 Jurisdiction and the original allegation by Ms D .................................................................................. 13 Tribunals and gardaí ........................................................................................................................... 13 Quantum of costs and tribunals of inquiry ......................................................................................... 14 Tribunal personnel ............................................................................................................................. 15 Tribunal function ............................................................................................................................... 15 How a tribunal differs from a court case ............................................................................................ 16 A tribunal is a final resort ................................................................................................................... 17 The parties to a tribunal must engage meaningfully ............................................................................ 18 Finding facts ...................................................................................................................................... 19 Matters of credibility .......................................................................................................................... 22 The task of finding facts ..................................................................................................................... 23 The guarded nature of judicial pronouncements ................................................................................. 26 Quotes, background, ranks and chronology ........................................................................................ 26 Social services .................................................................................................................................... 27 Purpose of introductory explanation .................................................................................................. 28 Garda Keith Harrison: a brief summary.............................................................................................. 28 Maurice McCabe and another garda family ......................................................................................... 29 Events unfold .................................................................................................................................... 30 Public concern ................................................................................................................................... 33 The O’Higgins Commission issues ..................................................................................................... 34 Chronology and correspondence of issues .......................................................................................... 37 The Maurice McCabe issues ............................................................................................................... 39 The complaint of Ms D in 2006 ......................................................................................................... 39 The DPP’s ruling on the D complaint ................................................................................................ 42 The nature and effect of a sexual abuse allegation .............................................................................. 43 Conclusion on the D investigation ..................................................................................................... 44 The aftermath of the 2006 complaint ................................................................................................. 45 The 2006 complaint and social services .............................................................................................. 48 What should have happened: what did happen ................................................................................... 49 Effective closure of the D case in 2007 by social services ................................................................... 50 5 The years between 2006 and 2014 ...................................................................................................... 53 Ms D returns to counselling in 2013 ................................................................................................... 56 Articles by Paul Williams in 2014 ....................................................................................................... 58 Paul Williams and Superintendent David Taylor ................................................................................. 62 Ms D complains in 2014 about Inspector Cunningham and PULSE .................................................. 65 Ms Y complains against Mr Z: word processing errors ....................................................................... 65 Credibility and coincidence ................................................................................................................. 67 The afterlife of the word processing error .......................................................................................... 68 Measuring the pressure ....................................................................................................................... 71 Another series of derelictions of duty ................................................................................................. 72 Initial garda reaction to the rape offence complaint ............................................................................ 74 Laura Brophy responds to the error ................................................................................................... 76 TUSLA react to notification of the error ............................................................................................ 77 The Garda reaction to the corrected report ........................................................................................ 80 The Laura Brophy error explained ...................................................................................................... 85 Garda Headquarters ........................................................................................................................... 89 The Mullingar meeting of 16 July 2014 ............................................................................................... 91 Maurice McCabe in the dark ............................................................................................................... 95 Senior officers and Maurice McCabe .................................................................................................. 96 The afterlife within TUSLA of the incorrect report ............................................................................ 96 The five-point plan ignored .............................................................................................................. 101 The letter received in January 2016 and the response ........................................................................ 103 Failure to face the problem .............................................................................................................. 105 The file goes to SART ...................................................................................................................... 106 Conclusions on the Health Service Executive/TUSLA affair ............................................................ 110 Part 2: Report on the allegations relating to the O’Higgins Commission .......................... 114 A note on structure .......................................................................................................................... 114 Term of reference (e) ....................................................................................................................... 114 Commission of investigation, tribunal of inquiry .............................................................................. 114 Unfairness to the media.................................................................................................................... 116 Chairing the O’Higgins Commission ...............................................................................................