Morris tribunal:Det Sgt John White was not given any special treatment when a request for a transfer was granted following his suspension, two senior Garda officers have told the Morris tribunal.
They were referring to the time after he was arrested by the Carty team investigating allegations of corruption among some gardaí in Co Donegal.
The two senior officers yesterday returned to the tribunal to address issues they wished to clarify arising out of their previous testimony, Paul McDermott SC told the inquiry.
Deputy Commissioner Fachtna Murphy told the tribunal that he approved a transfer for Mr White in March 2000, days after the detective was arrested by the Carty team. He said Garda policy allowed transfers rather than suspensions, because a garda might lose pay and pension rights as a result of suspension, only to later have his name cleared.
Sgt White was automatically suspended from duty for 72 hours following his arrest, but because he was transferred the suspension was not made permanent.
The tribunal is examining allegations in an anonymous fax brought to the attention of two TDs in June 2000 which claimed that Det Sgt White had worked with senior officers to plant evidence on suspects and "was being looked after". Tribunal and Garda investigations have found no evidence to support the allegations.
Mr Murphy was assistant commissioner with responsibility for human resources management. He said that the decision to transfer Mr White came as a result of the sergeant's own application.
Mr White has said he was ordered to apply for a transfer by Chief Supt Dermot Jennings, now an assistant commissioner.
Mr Murphy said that, as a result of a conversation with Mr Jennings, he delayed consideration of Det Sgt White's suspension because he understood that the sergeant could make an application for a transfer.
When Det Sgt White's application was received that evening, he approved a transfer to the Special Detective Unit in Dublin.
Mr Jennings said that he contacted Mr Murphy to inquire as to the regulations on transfer applications. "I was anxious to find out what the options were for him [ Mr White]," he said.
"No way did I want to interfere in any way or look for any special treatment," Mr Jennings added.
The tribunal resumes on Monday.