The chief data officer of An Garda Síochána has rejected the suggestion that his proof on Garda whistleblower Lois West’s involvement in plans to reorganise the power’s analytics service was “untruthful”.
The Garda CIO, Andrew O’Sullivan, was known as again to testify by video-link to the Office Relations Fee on Friday on what was meant to be the fifth and closing day of the tribunal’s hearings right into a sequence of statutory complaints lodged by Ms West.
Ms West, who was deputy head of the Garda Síochana Evaluation Service (GSAS) at assistant principal grade previous to taking prolonged sick go away, says her profession has been “stymied” since she testified to the Oireachtas about errors within the recording of official murder knowledge six years in the past.
She additionally claims the power mishandled a criticism she made about bullying and sexual harassment by a senior official in Garda Headquarters – who has since resigned.
Mr O’Sullivan was recalled after the State was directed to reveal a enterprise case doc for the growth of the Garda Síochána Analytics Service when he talked about it throughout his proof earlier this week. He stated then that Ms West was a “co-author” of the doc and “would have been actively concerned” within the discussions in 2020.
Beneath the brand new GSAS construction, there could be two deputy heads at principal officer grade reporting to a director, overseeing seven assistant principals and between 80 and 100 analysts, the tribunal heard.
The part had beforehand been headed up by a principal officer to whom Ms West and a fellow assistant principal had reported immediately as joint deputy heads – however with the highest job vacant on the time, Ms West and her colleague have been sharing management of the unit, the tribunal was informed.
Beneath cross-examination, Mr O’Sullivan stated: “At no level did Ms West do something apart from help the enterprise case. I might take that as which means she was supportive.”
“I’m placing it to you that’s untruthful, and Ms West will say it’s untruthful the best way you’ve characterised it … that Ms West by no means knew she was being demoted by having her deputy function eliminated. She by no means knew, and would by no means have consented,” David Byrnes BL, for Ms West, informed the witness.
“Nicely, if that’s her place, I can’t touch upon that. I don’t agree Ms West was being demoted. Ms West had made repeated statements that GSAS was chronically under-resourced and she or he additionally stated she was below a variety of strain herself,” Mr O’Sullivan stated.
He stated it could be “information to me” that Ms West didn’t help the enterprise case for growth.
Mr Byrnes additionally put it to the witness {that a} second enterprise case doc referring particularly to 2 principal officer deputy heads of GSAS meant that what “really occurred is the function stays the identical”.
“All that’s occurred is Ms West’s function has been elevated to principal officer [and she’] being made to use for her personal job,” Mr Byrnes stated.
“I don’t settle for that in any respect,” Mr O’Sullivan stated. “What I did in settlement with Ms West and Ms [Sarah] Parsons was to plan out the long run strategic progress of GSAS, positioning it as a a lot bigger, extra strategic organisation.”
“They have been the deputy heads of GSAS, however a smaller GSAS. There was by no means any query there could be some sort of automated conversion of what they have been working at. The 2 APs must undergo a contest, and determine that they have been working at principal officer stage,” he stated.
Adjudicator Roger McGrath had beforehand informed the events he needed to conclude the listening to with closing submissions on Friday. Ms West’s authorized crew stated their consumer had the precise to reply to the brand new paperwork.
“She’s not ready to provide proof at this time due to her situation … Ms West is in an extremely fragile mind-set. Getting directions have been troublesome, she managed to do this [but] she can’t be anticipated to come back again right here remotely or in particular person to supply proof,” Mr Byrnes stated.
“We’re the place we’re – we’ll must adjourn,” Mr McGrath stated, closing the listening to and placing the matter again till April sixteenth.
Ms West’s complaints are below the Protected Disclosures Act 2014, the Security, Well being and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and the Fee of Wages Act 1991 towards the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána, the federal government, and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.