Martin Callinan tells tribunal he did not order report of complaints against Maurice McCabe

Barrister Michael McDowell SC, representing Sgt McCabe, said that a file was compiled on Sgt McCabe in 2013 from his personnel files, and it appeared that "somebody spent a lot of time trying to discover something discreditable about him."

The document listed complaints made against Sgt McCabe going back to 1992, none of which were upheld. Mr McDowell asked why such a document was created in 2013.

"Why would anyone put this compendium of bad news on Sgt McCabe on paper?" Mr McDowell asked.

Mr Callinan replied he did not know. "It does appear to be a chronology of incidents that are recorded in HRM," Mr Callinan said.

Mr McDowell said there was "a willingness to discover anything discreditable to Sgt McCabe in 2013." Mr Callinan replied that he didn't order or request it to be done.

He said he had no memory of either deputy commissioners or assistant commissioners "getting involved in that kind of research".

"I don't know how it was complied but I accept it's there," Mr Callinan said.

Mr Callinan said that a 2011 circular from Chief Supt Colm Rooney, sent after the internal Byrne-McGinn garda inquiry into complaints made by Sgt McCabe was completed, did not reflect the true position. The circular stated that high standards had been vindicated.

Mr McDowell said that the circular letter was "a cruel and untruthful putdown" of Sgt McCabe, and was "designed to have the effect of humiliating Sgt McCabe in front of members of the force by ridiculing the complaints he made."

"I don't believe it was an appropriate letter to have sent," Mr Callinan said.

Mr Callinan said he was not aware that the circular had been sent until "very much after the event."

Mr McDowell said that in 2013 two senior garda officers were sent to interview a relative of Sgt McCabe about an allegation which was "utterly bogus", and "senior gardaí were expending their valuable time on dud allegations against Sgt McCabe."

"There was an attitude of deep suspicion and a willingness to search the records for anything that could assist in doubting Sgt McCabe," Mr McDowell said.

"Certainly not from me, Mr Chairman," Mr Callinan said.

Mr Callinan said he was not familiar with the document listing a "chronology" of complaints against Sgt McCabe.

"If you are suggesting I was attempting to put down Sgt McCabe, nothing but nothing could be further from the truth," Mr Callinan said.

I can assure the tribunal 100% that under no circumstances did I order any document to be compiled or mined in an effort to bring down Sgt McCabe.

"That is not me and that is not what I represent," Mr Callinan said.

Mr Callinan said that allegations from John McGuinness TD that Mr Callinan said that Sgt McCabe "abused his family" were "absolutely outlandish allegations".

"They are totally untrue and I reject them in their entirety," Mr Callinan said.

The tribunal heard that a phone which was handed to the Fennelly commission in 2014 by Mr Callinan contained 278 text messages, 277 of which were deleted.

Mr Callinan said that he could have deleted text messages over the period he used the phone, in order to make room for newer messages, but did not remove any messages before giving the phone to the Fennelly commission.

"If the question is 'did I delete anything of further significance to this tribunal?' the answer is no," Mr Callinan said.

Mr Callinan said when he was asked for the phone he searched for it, and brought it to the Fennelly commission along with a charger, but didn't switch it on and "certainly never deleted any messages" before handing it over.