Garda Keith Harrison tells Tribunal he felt Tusla was manipulated by Gardai

Garda Keith Harrison has told the Disclosures Tribunal he felt Tusla was manipulated by gardai for malicious reasons against him.
However a social worker has contradicted Garda Harrison, saying a follow-up visit to the family home was appropriate and not based on scurrilous accusations.
Garda Harrison was also asked why he did not send a 72 cent letter to Tusla raising questions about their visit, rather than instigating a Tribunal costing millions.
 
This module of the Disclosures Tribunal concerns contacts between gardai and Tusla, the child and family agency, about Garda Keith Harrison.
This morning Garda Harrison said he and his partner met with a social worker in Letterkenny in 2014, on foot of a statement by Marisa Simms to gardai following an argument they’d had.
He said he felt the matter was over and was surprised when a follow up visit was arranged to the couple’s home, and that he believed gardai leaned on Tusla to arrange that house visit.
In her statement to the Tribunal, social worker Donna McTeague said her belief was that the referral was not based on a scurrilous accusation but one that was appropriately made and assessed.
Marisa Simms told the Tribunal on Wednesday that she no longer believed that gardai manipulated Tusla into investigating her and her family.
Counsel for Tusla asked Garda Harrison why he didn’t contact them with any questions and concerns he may have had, when a letter was sent to the couple by the social worker telling them the matter was over and to contact them with any questions or concerns.
Paul Anthony McDermott asked him to consider the cost of a stamp, 72cent at the time- versus the cost of a Tribunal of Inquiry which can cost millions of euro.
Garda Harrison replied that in Feb 2014, he could never have thought that he’d be talking about various details of his family life at a Tribunal today.
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