THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS Committee will assess what the garda whistleblower sergeant Maurice McCabe says today in a private meeting and see “if there’s any reason to keep it private” said Independent TD Shane Ross.
Speaking on RTE’s Morning Ireland, he said that while he had “misgivings” about holding the meeting in private, McCabe had specifically requested in a letter that it be held closed doors.
Ross said that the details of what McCabe says in private may be made public, stating there “haven’t been set rules about that at all – there is no procedure as to whether or not it comes into the public arena”.
Defamation and libel
He said the reason it is being held in private is because it is “sensitive” and that some members of the committee were concerned that an allegation might be made and they wanted to protect the whistleblower from that.
“Provided that doesn’t happen I think there is a case that it should be made public,” said Ross.
He added that the committee will also have to report on the meeting and give a summary on it and it would make as much information available as possible in that report.
“We are going to see what happens and what he says and see if there is any reason to keep it private after that,” he said.
He added that there is a big question about the pulse system and how its operated and also about the loss of revenue.
His side of the story
The PAC agreed “unanimously” to allow the McCabe to appear before the PAC stating “it would be unthinkable having the Garda Commissioner come in and saying some controversial things” and to not allow McCabe to come in and “give his version of events and his point of view”, said Ross.
He disagreed with Minister Brendan Howlin, who criticised the PAC for giving daily assessments to media, stating that he thought it was “most important” that all all happenings of PAC are put out there for the public to see.
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