Morris Tribunal: Det Garda Noel McMahon and Supt Kevin Lennon largely ignored most of the Border detective unit at Buncrana Garda station in the early 1990s, a retired Donegal detective told the tribunal yesterday.
Retired Det Sgt Tom Sreenan told Mr Justice Frederick Morris that procedures were not followed in relation to explosives finds, and confidential information on informers, which was normally shared between detectives, was withheld. The suggestion was rejected by Supt Lennon who conducted his own cross examination of Mr Sreenan.
Mr Sreenan said Det Garda Noel McMahon stopped contributing "whatever information or alleged information" he was getting from alleged informer Ms Adrienne McGlinchey. Morale broke down among the detective unit when members were excluded from operations which resulted in significant finds and were told "in no uncertain terms" to adopt a hands-off approach to investigating Ms McGlinchey or her friend, Ms Yvonne Devine. Mr Sreenan said that while it was known in Buncrana station that Ms McGlinchey was supposed to be Det Garda McMahon's "tout", the main body of detectives at Buncrana had reservations about the credibility of Ms McGlinchey.
Mr Sreenan said Supt Lennon, then an Inspector, had "ignored the detective branch for some reason or other" and "seemed to arrive in Buncrana with some sort of a chip on his shoulder in relation to the detective branch". Mr Lennon appeared to take his information solely from Det Garda McMahon, Mr Sreenan said.
A number of finds of paramilitary material, in which Ms McGlinchey had been implicated, including circuit boards and metal tubing, were not treated in a standard fashion, he maintained. Ordinary members of the detective unit were puzzled as "under normal circumstances finds would be followed through, they would end up in the lab in the Phoenix Park". However, this did not happen, Mr Sreenan said.Asked if he would lend any credibility to Ms McGlinchey or Ms Devine as informers he replied: "None in the wide world. None in my opinion," before remarking that both women appeared to draw attention to themselves.
He found the behaviour strange as subversives tried not to attract attention and those thought to be passing information to gardaí, "usually paid the ultimate price" he observed.
Mr Sreenan said that on one occasion when he and some colleagues were parked outside the home of Ms McGlinchey and Ms Devine, he observed both women come out of the house and walk to a phone box to make a call.
Shortly afterwards the Garda car got a call from the control centre in Buncrana asking it to investigate an incident near Muff, close to the Border. Mr Sreehan said the gardaí went to Muff but found no disturbance. When they arrived they received another call directing them elsewhere. Mr Sreenan said he assumed he had been diverted.
However, Supt Lennon said Mr Sreenan had no evidence to suggest that he was a handler of Ms McGlinchey in 1992 or that her handlers were "supported by me".
"You have no basis, there is no evidence for it," he insisted. Supt Lennon said there was evidence to suggest that Det Garda Kelly was receiving information from Ms McGlinchey at that time and he produced a list which he said Mr Sreenan had compiled at the time, telling his superiors that he thought Ms McGlinchey was an IRA sympathiser or supporter.
Counsel for Det Garda McMahon is expected to cross examine Mr Sreenan today.
