A private investigator has said that he does not believe that a former garda who outlined to him the information contained in a document alleging high level corruption sent to two Opposition politicians was the author of the document.
On June 25th, 2000, the document was sent to Jim Higgins TD and barrister Martin Giblin SC by Frank McBrearty snr, who says he received the document anonymously in the post.
Mr Giblin later spoke to Labour Party TD Brendan Howlin about the contents of the document.
Private investigator Billy Flynn told the Morris tribunal that Mr McBrearty snr and former garda PJ Togher called to his home on the evening of March 7th, 2000, after a meeting in the Dáil. Also present were Frank McBrearty jnr, and Mark and Róisín McConnell.
Mr Flynn said that "everyone was in good spirits" and he "was delighted to see Frank in such good humour. He was carrying the weight. The responsibility of all the families rested on his shoulders," Mr Flynn said. "I considered him a courageous man." He said that rumours concerning Donegal gardaí were discussed in his home, adding that Mr Togher spoke of the allegations in the anonymous fax, but said the rumours were "going round" at the time.
He said he had no idea who wrote the document, adding "certainly Frank McBrearty snr is not the author, I don't think Mr Togher is either". Mr Flynn said at one stage he suspected a journalist had written the document.
Mr Flynn said he believed at the time that Mr McBrearty snr was being "used", and that he should be concentrating on getting a court ruling in his favour, as Frank Shortt had.
Mr Flynn also said that some time later Det Sgt John White gave him three reports made by Det Garda Tom Kilcoyne, which referred to allegations against the McBrearty family. "I felt a responsibility to give them to Mr McBrearty, his legal agents, and the Morris tribunal, and that's what I did," he said.