Morris tribunal:A former garda said he was told by another officer that a room in Letterkenny Garda station was set up to secretly record conversations and visitors before several people were arrested during the investigation into the death of cattle dealer Richie Barron in 1996.
Martin Leonard said he was told afterwards that Sgt Joseph Costello had been brought down from Garda HQ in Dublin to bug rooms in the station.
"It was discussed afterwards. Tina Fowley was the one I heard on about it, that she had prepared that particular room," Mr Leonard said.
"That's the only one I heard on about it. That somebody had asked her to get an armchair for it, something about an armchair," Mr Leonard added.
Mr Leonard said that Gda Fowley told him "that he [ Sgt Costello] was brought down and that the room was set up to listen to visitors."
The former garda said he thought secret taping would be inappropriate, but it would not be wrong, because "it wasn't a privileged conversation between a solicitor and a client."
Mr Leonard said there was no question of gardaí bugging conversations between solicitors and clients.