Tribunal hears of garda’s ‘close’ association

A Detective Sergeant was a a “very close” associate of a man who was known by gardaí to be a member of the Provisional IRA, a smuggler and a person involved in fraud scams, it has emerged at the Smithwick Tribunal this afternoon.
Former Det Sgt Owen Corrigan was the officer linked to a report by a senior garda, parts of which were read out this afternoon at the Smithwick Tribunal.
Meanwhile, it has emerged that the legal team for one of the RUC victims of the ambush has complained to the Tribunal over their handling of a record detailing garda intelligence.
During the course of the afternoon, Mary Laverty, counsel for the Tribunal, sought to introduce a summary of garda intelligence relating to pressure on Mr Gallagher.
She said it related to information which the Asst Commissioner was not aware of but related to the non appearance of Mr Gallagher at the court case.
Jim O’Callaghan who represents Owen Corrigan objected to the introduction of the note and in particular to one line, saying it should not be sprung on him at such late notice.
The report was not read into the public record as a result.
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Ernie Waterworth who represents the family of Supt Bob Buchanan said while they understand the sensitives surrounding intelligence information but this was a summary of it and the Tribunal was a public inquiry and he could not understand why the record was not made public.
Former Asst Commissioner Jim McHugh who gave evidence this afternoon investigated a complaint that then Det Sgt Corrigan had engaged in a fraudulent insurance claim.
The matter was due for trial at Dundalk District Court on 29 January, 1993 but the case didn’t proceed when the key witness, Patrick Gallagher, failed to appear.
Mr Gallagher told the Tribunal this morning that he and his wife received several phone calls advising them not to go to the court.
On the morning before the case, Mr Gallagher claimed he was stopped by several men near his home and told not to go. As a result he didn’t go.
Counsel for Owen Corrigan, Jim O’Callaghan, said his client would refute the insinuation that he was involved in intimidation.
He also said his client would strongly disagree with Mr Gallagher’s recollection of a minor crash involving their vehicles.
The former Asst Commissioner told the Tribunal he was disappointed that Mr Gallagher didn’t turn up for the case but said he was very aware of “the environment” where Mr Gallagher lived and he had no doubt that something had happened to prevent him giving evidence.
Meanwhile, the Tribunal also heard evidence about a Mr Francie Tiernan whom Mr Gallagher had said had been one of the people who had suggested to him not to give evidence in the case against Owen Corrigan.
An extract of a report by then Det Supt Michael Finnegan was read out by counsel for the Tribunal which detailed information about Mr Tiernan.
It said Mr Tiernan was involved in Provisional IRA activity, was involved in smuggling especially cigarettes and spirits and was also involved in many fraud scams in the North, the Republic and in England. He had been convicted in 1990 of a £1.3m fraud and sentenced to two years imprisonment.
Mr Corrigan remains “very close associate of Mr Tiernan”, the report added.
Former Asst Commissioner McHugh said he had known that Mr Corrigan was “a colourful character”.
He said he was also aware he was a controversial person with a reputation for successful investigations of subversives.
The witness said he was also aware that Mr Corrigan was involved in activities what were “perhaps not becoming of a member of An Garda Siochana” such as buying and selling second hand cars on a large scale.