The Garda Commissioner has claimed she was not told by the former head of the force's press office Superintendent David Taylor that a press conference was taking place to mark the first anniversary of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe's murder.
Detective Donohoe was shot dead during an armed robbery outside Dundalk in 2013.
According to documents seen by RTÉ, Nóirín O'Sullivan made the claim last year in a letter to a judge who was appointed to review allegations of a smear campaign against garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe.
Her claim that she was not told about the press event in Dundalk, which was attended by then commissioner Martin Callinan, was an example of how Supt Taylor allegedly did not always keep her advised on all matters that he advised Mr Callinan on, according to the correspondence seen by RTÉ.
Supt Taylor has claimed that an attempt was made to smear Sgt McCabe at the highest levels in the force.
However, a search of the garda website shows that a press release was issued by Supt Taylor's office on the day before the press conference took place.
The press event took place in Dundalk on 24 January 2014.
Writing to Judge Iarfhlaith O'Neill on 15 November last, Garda Commissioner O'Sullivan wrote: "Contrary to Superintendent Taylor's assertion that he kept me advised of all matters that he had advised the Commissioner on, I can confirm as an example, that I was not made aware or privy to the fact that a press conference was arranged or taking place and was not invited to participate in the press conference relating to the murder investigation which was held in Dundalk on 24 January 2014."
A spokesman for the Commissioner's office declined to comment when asked how she was not, at the very least, aware that the 24 January 2014 press conference was taking place given that the garda website shows that there was a press release issued by the garda press office the day before the event took place.
At least one media outlet also broadcast a radio report on the morning of 24 January 2014 to say that the press conference would take place later that day.
"In light of the on-going Commission of Inquiry by Supreme Court Judge Peter Charleton, it [would] be inappropriate to comment," the garda spokesman said.
