FAILURE by Tusla to correct errors resulting in false allegations of abuse against Maurice McCabe were “absolutely coincidences,” a senior manager has said.

The Charleton tribunal is examining claims that allegations of sexual abuse were used as part of a campaign to smear and undermine the reputation of Sgt McCabe.

2 Maurice McCabe

The DPP decided against pressing charges against Sgt McCabe due to lack of evidence in 2007.

Tribunal barrister Pat Marrinan SC said there had been a “total failure” of systems in Tusla, and “every error that is made is to the detriment of Sgt McCabe. There isn’t an error in his favour”.

He said: “There are those who may say that this litany of grave errors can’t just be coincidence after coincidence.”

Gerard Lowry, Tusla area manager for Cavan-Monaghan said: “I think they are terrible errors consistently but they were absolutely coincidences.”

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Mr Lowry said that when he received an email about Sgt McCabe, identified as “MMcC”, in 2014 he “knew who the email referred to when I received it”.

The email referred to allegations made to RIAN, a counselling service, by Ms D, who had made allegations against the sergeant in 2006.

More serious allegations from an unrelated case by of Ms Y, were added in error to the file on Sgt McCabe.

Mr Lowry said he erred in not ensuring records were fully corrected once the mistakes were uncovered by Tusla. Mr Lowry said he “was aware RIAN had sent false information . . my error was in not checking what records we had created as a result of the RIAN information”.

2 Tribunal barrister Pat Marrinan SC said there had been a “total failure” of systems in Tusla Credit: Alamy

Mr Marrinan said that by May 2014 Sgt McCabe was in the public eye “and here was your service notifying the gardai that Sgt McCabe had a rape allegation made against him when that wasn’t true.

Can you imagine anything more serious?”

Mr Lowry said: “I agree with that.”

Mr Marrinan said there was a suggestion “in the ether” that the false allegations “played into senior management’s hands” and the allegations could be used to unsettle Sgt McCabe.

The tribunal continues.