McGrath does not have ‘a shred of sorrow’ for former justice minister

Independent TD Mattie McGrath told the Dáil he did not have “a shred of sorrow”

for former minister for justice Alan Shatter.

"He did not respect An Garda Síochána. He would not go to the conference he was invited to attend and he whinged when he was not invited to the other conferences."

Mr McGrath said the former minister was entitled to his faith and he had chosen not to attend a conference because he was going to honour that faith.

“He is entitled to do that but if a Catholic minister or a minister of another denomination did that they would be run out of the country and destroyed by the media.”

He said that while he did not wish Mr Shatter any bad luck, it was "good riddance to bad rubbish".

Resignation

Mr McGrath was speaking during a resumed debate on the Guerin report which looked into the handling of complaints from Garda whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe and precipitated Mr Shatter’s resignation.

Jerry Buttimer (FG) said the report was deeply disturbing. "There can be no ambiguity surrounding the men and women of An Garda Síochána." He paid tribute to those gardaí who did tremendous good and put their lives at risk every day.

Mr Buttimer said it should not be forgotten that “only a short few years ago particular members of this House were part of an organisation which threatened to undermine An Garda Síochána and the State”.

Point-scoring

Jonathan O’Brien (SF) said it was disappointing that Mr Buttimer had engaged in political point-scoring. “Nevertheless I agree with much of what he said. He and I work in

Cork

city with some fine members of the Garda, including in the Gurranebraher district.”

He said the report had highlighted not just the failings of one or two individuals but a failure at senior level to investigate complaints of malpractice and corruption submitted to the Department of Justice by serving members of the force.

Simon Harris (FG) said the department required examination. "While I acknowledge the work ethic of many people within that department it is fair to ask whether its current form and its relationship structures with An Garda Síochána are fit for purpose in 21st century Ireland. "