Answers must be provided to Sergeant McCabe & his family as a matter of urgency.
Fine Gael TD for Dublin Fingal, and member of the Oireachtas Justice and Equality Committee, Alan Farrell, has said that the Commission of Inquiry into a smear campaign against Sergeant Maurice McCabe must start as a matter of urgency.
“The information which has come to light over the past few days is deeply concerning and I believe the Commission of Inquiry into this must start urgently. The level of ineptitude which is suggested by reports regarding the actions of TUSLA and An Garda Síochána is deeply troubling. Any political opportunism designed to bolster polling numbers should be treated with complete disdain by the Irish people as it will only serve to delay this crucial process.
“The simple fact is, should the Commission find that a smear campaign was being enacted against Sergeant McCabe, action must be taken to hold those responsible to account. However, should it be found that such a campaign did not exist, then questions must be answered regarding the competencies of all of those involved in this case. Either way, Sergeant McCabe, his family, and the public, deserve answers. For the moment, unfortunately, we are caught up in political rumblings rather than focusing on the enormously serious consequences of two protected disclosures which require immediate investigation.
“I find the mistakes in relation to this matter to be incredulous, even down to the fact that the apology to Sergeant McCabe from TUSLA was delivered to the wrong house. If it were not true, it would not be believable.
“This is certainly going to impact the morale among the hard-working men and women of An Garda Síochána who work to protect us every single day. We must not forget how much we depend on the rank-and-file Gardaí.”