The man who denies he is 'Stakeknife', the most important British agent within the IRA, has been urged to make a statement to the Smithwick Tribunal.
The tribunal, which is investigating claims of an IRA mole in Dundalk Garda Station who assisted in the murder of two senior RUC officers, today heard an application by Freddie Scappaticci for full legal representation.
Mr Scappaticci denies he was the British agent known as 'Stakeknife', who was also a senior member of the IRA's internal security unit known as the 'nutting squad'.
Counsel for Mr Scappaticci told the tribunal today that although they receive a list of witnesses and a note that they had nothing to say about his client, that did not mean that Mr Scappaticci had nothing to say about them.
Witnesses may give evidence in which his client is identified and he wanted full legal representation instead of the limited representation he currently has.
Counsel for the tribunal, Mary Laverty, disagreed and said Mr Scappaticci had not been mentioned in evidence so far. If a witness is going to say something about him, the statements will be forwarded to Mr Scappaticci's counsel.
There will come at a later stage that three or four witnesses will refer to Mr Scappaticci and his legal team would be told of that in advance and copies of their statements will be given over as well. It would be a small, precise part of the tribunal inquiry, she said.
Ms Laverty also revealed that Mr Scappaticci had sought access to evidence given to the tribunal by the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Garda Commissioner and the British Ministry of Defence.
She suggested that since Mr Scappaticci had not made a statement to the tribunal he should consider making one if he had any information in relation to the murders of Harry Breen and Bob Buchanan on 20 March 1989.
Judge Peter Smithwick reiterated the view that if Mr Scappaticci had any evidence, he should make a statement.
He reserved the application for full legal representation by Mr Scappaticci until this day week.
Owen Corrigan rejects allegations
A retired garda who has been accused of helping the IRA murder two senior RUC officers in 1989 has today emphatically rejected the allegations.
Former Det Sergeant Owen Corrigan told the Smithwick Tribunal that he did not know how his name came to be linked with the idea of an IRA mole within Dundalk Garda Station.
It is 11 years since Mr Corrigan was first named by Jeffrey Donaldson DUP MP using parliamentary privilege as the IRA mole within the station.
It emerged today that the former garda's legal team asked Mr Donaldson to withdraw the allegations or repeat them outside the House of Parliament. They got no response.
In his evidence, he said there were 400-500 IRA members or supporters in the Dundalk area and he spoke about what he described as a chaotic situation at the time.
He also spoke about the treats and abuse he received, particularly after he handed over Dominic McGlinchey to the RUC at the border following his extradition.
Mr Corrigan said he did not know the two RUC men were in the station on the day they were murdered, 20 March 1989.
He said he did not contact the IRA about this visit and he denied ever passing on information to them.
He claimed no one brought more members of the IRA to the Special Criminal Court than him.
Mr Corrigan denied allegations made by his former Chief Supt Cottrell that he should not be promoted to Inspector because of financial concerns.
Mr Corrigan said that was not an issue for the tribunal and he was only ever trying to better himself and his family.
The retired garda also told the tribunal that he had been asked to meet an associate of the General to try and get the Beit paintings returned.
He met the man but afterwards decided he did not want to proceed.
Mr Corrigan also said he was asked to go to Belfast to gather intelligence for the Government on republican activities.
He also claimed that a flat in a house opposite the garda station in Dundalk was used by the IRA for surveillance and he was told at one stage that the phones were being intercepted.
'Not suitable for promotion'
The tribunal earlier heard that Owen Corrigan was not suitable for promotion because a senior officer had concerns about his financial affairs.
The Smithwick Tribunal today heard a statement made by now deceased Garda Chief Supt Richard Cotterell, who was in charge of the Louth/Meath division where Owen Corrigan worked.
Mr Cotterell said he did not recommend the then Detective Sergeant for promotion to Inspector because he was concerned over his finances.
He said he very much doubted that Mr Corrigan paid his way. He had three houses and a valuable site in Drogheda, the Chief Supt said in his statement.
The tribunal was told that after an interview for promotion to the rank of Inspector, Mr Corrigan was ranked 15th out of 15.
However, Mr Cotterell had said that this list never went anywhere because it was felt one officer had 'too much influence and it was a case of an old pal's act.' That list was never published.
He went on to say that Mr Corrigan was extremely competent and extremely intelligent.
He described Mr Corrigan as 'a cute hoor' and was too cute to get involved with the IRA, according to Mr Cottrell who added that the former Detective Sergeant saw the IRA as 'the enemy'.
'I liked him but did not trust him,' he said in his statement.
Counsel for Mr Corrigan queried the decision by the tribunal to read parts of former Chief Supt Cotterell's statement regarding the promotion sheets relating to his client.
He said they had prejudicial information not relevant to the tribunal.
In his statement, Mr Cotterell also said he believed the IRA were very good at surveillance and would not have needed a phone call from Dundalk Garda Station to tell them the two RUC men were there.
'They were doing nothing most of them except drawing the dole, the only thing they would do was watch,' he said.
In the statement he also spoke about RUC men coming do Dundalk and going drinking in local pubs.
Mr Cotterell said they were always welcome, but not to come as often as they did.
Then Supt Dick Fahy told him they would have to go drinking with them when they came down at night.
When they would drink on them, they would talk about telling people who they were.
Sometimes, he said, they would get a 'want for a woman' on nights like that. But they probably had allowances for that, he added.
