Democratic Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson has refused to withdraw allegations that a member of Dundalk police conspired with the IRA in the 1989 murder of two RUC officers, reports the Irish Times.
Donaldson said he had named now retired Det Sgy Owen Corrigan in the House of Commons in 2000 to bring the allegations into the public domain and have it investigated by an independent tribunal. He also said he declined an offer from Jim O'Callaghan, SC for Corrigan, to repeat the claims "outside the building."
O'Callaghan told Donaldson that he only had the word of double agent Kevin Fulton, also known as Peter Keeley, that Corrigan had conspired with the IRA. He also said Fulton had been described as a "fantasist," a "Walter Mitty" and an "intelligence nuisance" by several witnessess.
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He told Donaldson that in 60 days of tribunal hearings the only evidence of collusion between Corrigan and the IRA had related to an alleged meeting in a car park described by Fulton.
O’Callaghan said the timing for the meeting could only have happened after Corrigan was retired from the force, initially on sick leave, and, therefore, the allegation was “impossible."
Donaldson responded that Corrigan could have supplied intelligence to the IRA after he left the police about things he learned while an active member of the force.
He also said that while Fulton had been the only source to name Corrigan, “many people in political circles” had discussed the possibility of a mole in Dundalk Garda station, as had journalist Toby Harnden in his book 'Bandit Country.'
He said he had consulted a senior member of the security services on whether Fulton “was who he said he was” in relation to being a British agent in the IRA and this had been confirmed.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.FallsRNat | Dec 16, 2011, 07:32 PM EST
the simplest way for this to be settled is for the officer to take a lawsuit out against Donaldson, however, considering the previous FG govt investigation under Bruton & the decision taken not to charge this officer with collusion with PIRA & the issue of the SI govt's trying to include 1972 state papers under a new 100 year secrecy rule, don't hold your breath, the last thing the IR wants/or needs is the truth about PIRA/Garda activity during the Troubles to see the light of day.
IrelandNorth | Dec 12, 2011, 07:55 AM EST
The fact that he continues to hide behind parliamentary privilege says it all. He declined a challenge by counsel to repeat the allegation outside the court? If there was Irish Govt. support of IRA in north, it may have been to counterbalance NI GOvt. subcontracting extra-judicial executions of prominent nationalist/republicans to loyalist paramilitaries.
FallsRNat | Dec 11, 2011, 06:52 PM EST
donaldson is correct, there was an PIRA Garda informer based in Dundalk, previous investigations are FF & FG govts have proved that this was the case.
seanomelbourne | Dec 11, 2011, 04:12 PM EST
Donaldson would say anything to get attention.the gutlesss wonder will not repeat the allegation outside parliament,put up or shut up.
cillowen | Dec 11, 2011, 02:57 PM EST
those proddi ,so fair and balanced friends of the peace. I just knew, are locked in with the hatred they crave.
Tooreenagrena | Dec 11, 2011, 02:43 PM EST
Donaldson is typical of the unionist mindset. Their entire culture is built and sustained by attacking Catholics/Nationalists. Like sharks they can only survive by going forward.
dermotfastnet | Dec 11, 2011, 01:05 PM EST
Donaldson isn't worthy of any comment
lecorri | Dec 11, 2011, 09:50 AM EST
Donaldson is an eejit...for years and years..the amount of confirmed collusion that went on in the murders of innocent nationalists/catholics between the ruc and loyalist groups makes his faceatious claim hardly worth a look..