SERGEANT MAURICE MCCABE is set to retire from An Garda Síochána, effective from midnight tonight.

The whistleblower leaves the force after 30 years of service, RTÉ has reported.

In recent years, he helped to draw deficiencies within the gardaí to public attention, including the fixed charge penalty notice scandal.

The Disclosures Tribunal looked into claims that senior gardaí ran a smear campaign against McCabe in the wake of his whistleblowing about wrongdoing in the force.

Chairman Mr Justice Peter Charleton said the Tribunal was “convinced” there was a “campaign of calumny” by former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan against Maurice McCabe.

It found that this was “actively aided” by former garda press officer Superintendent Dave Taylor, but that he didn’t do it “under orders”.

McCabe was “repulsively denigrated for being no more than a good citizen and police officer”, the Tribunal noted.

Reacting to the report, the sergeant told RTÉ’s Prime Time that he was “very happy” with it but said knowing there was a campaign to slander him is “hard to take”.

McCabe also told Prime Time that he wished the publication of the report would allow him to move forward. 

“We haven’t read it all yet, but we’re so thrilled. Because it means it’s finished for us now, all is over. I can get back to my normal job hopefully,” he said.

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During the period when he was raising allegations of wrongdoing within the gardaí, two Ministers for Justice – Alan Shatter and Frances Fitzgerald -  and two garda commissioners – Callinan and Nóirín O’Sullivan – resigned their positions. 

Following the publication of the report, Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan told the Dáil that he apologised to McCabe and his family on behalf of the State. 

Speaking on RTÉ Radio 1 this morning, the justice minister said that he did not know McCabe planned to retire but that he wasn’t surprised, giving McCabe’s 30 years in the job. 

The minister said that he plans to meet McCabe over the coming weeks and that reform of An Garda Síochána must be accelerated. 

“We have…the need to ensure that what happened to Maurice McCabe never happens again and that we have a police service in Ireland which is exemplary in terms of its service to the community.

I would see the Maurice McCabe legacy as to be the reform of An Garda Síochána.