Disclosures Tribunal: Journalist Paul Willliams denies being negatively briefed about whilstleblower
Journalist Paul Williams has said he was "surprised" to be named in the Dáil as someone who had penalty points quashed and "did not know it was coming".
"I was surprised. I didn't know it was coming,” he told the Charleton Tribunal. “I had nothing to hide. It was in relation to a fixed penalty notice that had been done by the book. I had appealed," Mr Williams said.
Mr Williams said he did not know who was responsible for his name being made public, and said “I didn't do anything wrong”.
The tribunal is looking at allegations by former garda press officer Supt David Taylor that he was directed while in that role to smear Sgt Maurice McCabe in relation to a false allegation of sexual offending. Former commissioners Martin Callinan and Nóirín O'Sullivan deny there was any smear campaign.
In 2007, the DPP directed no prosecution after a garda investigation into abuse allegations made by a woman identified by the tribunal as Miss D, saying no evidence of a crime was disclosed.
Mr Williams said he was never negatively briefed by former commissioners Callinan or O'Sullivan or by former garda press officer Supt Taylor. Mr Williams said he was free to say this as the three had waived any journalistic privilege with the tribunal.
"I would tell you clearly if they had given that information. They have given waivers. And I have nothing to hide," Mr Williams said.
Mr Williams said that he had not heard of rumours of abuse against Sgt McCabe before he met with Miss D in March 2014 for an interview.
"There was a rumour out there that he may have a grievance with his authorities, he had a falling out with them. That was it. It was very, very vague," Mr Williams said.
Mr Williams said if there was a rumour "doing the rounds" he would have heard it. Mr Williams said that he did not speak about the story he was planning on doing with journalists Eavan Murray or Debbie McCann.
"You do not talk to another journalist about any story you are working on. It is treated very privately until you publish it," Mr Williams said.
Mr Williams said he was first contacted about Miss D by Supt John O'Reilly, who told him that Miss D's father was concerned that journalists were contacting him and knew his daughter's name.
Mr Williams contacted the family, who agreed to an interview about the garda investigation into Miss D's claims, which Miss D said had shortcomings.
A video was made of the interview, but only the back of Miss D's head is visible in the recording, the tribunal heard. The video supplied to the tribunal was a single unedited take.
Mr Williams said he did not call Supt Taylor after he completed the interview, and never said to him "guess where I am", as alleged by Supt Taylor. He did contact Supt Taylor a week later to confirm aspects of the account Miss D had given about the garda investigation.
Mr Williams said that contacts with Ms O'Sullivan, then deputy commissioner in charge of operations, were because of "a very difficult, personal security situation" at the time involving his family, and not related to Sgt McCabe or Miss D.
He said he had not told tribunal investigators about this as he felt it was very confidential information.
Mr Williams said he was aware that his article was being "stress tested" before publication. He had no discussions about the article with Dearbhail McDonald, who had prepared a memo on the article.
Mr Williams said it would not be unusual for an article to be edited and altered before publication as lawyers analysed it. He said that no comment was sought from Sgt McCabe because the article did not identify him, and the story was about alleged flaws in the garda investigation, not about Sgt McCabe.
The journalist said that he "got eviscerated on social media and from my own colleagues" because there had been implications that he was involved in a smear campaign against Sgt McCabe.
He said he had no prior discussion with Supt Taylor before going to meet with Miss D
Earlier, former INM executive Ian Mallon was questioned by Mark Harty SC on behalf of journalist Gemma O'Doherty.
Mr Mallon said there were protocols in place for journalists doing doorstep interviews, which should be run through senior editors, and he was not aware Ms O'Doherty planned to call to the home address of garda commissioner Martin Callinan.
Ms O'Doherty previously told the tribunal she called to the address to verify the commissioner lived there after receiving evidence that a Martin Callinan at that address had penalty points quashed.
"I didn't agree that any of our reporters, Gemma O'Doherty or anybody should go to the house of the Garda commissioner," Mr Mallon said. Mr Mallon said this would also apply to other public figures such as the Taoiseach, Chief Justice, or government ministers who would be contacted through official press offices.
Ms O'Dohery was made redundant by INM some time after the visit to Mr Callinan's home. Mr Mallon said he was involved in voluntary redundancy programmes at INM, but when some redundancies became involuntary he was not involved in that process.
