Tánaiste denies Alan Shatter’s position is under threat

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has reiterated his support for Minister for Justice Alan Shatter and said his position is not under threat.

Asked whether ministers were pursuing the notion of an inquiry into material alleging Garda misconduct which was supplied last week by Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, Mr Gilmore gave no firm indication as to what course would be pursued.

Speaking at an event today in the Department of Foreign Affairs, Mr Gilmore said “the important thing is that we deal with the substance of the material that was supplied last week,”.

“We’re taking it very seriously, we are looking at it very seriously, and we’ll deal with it at Cabinet tomorrow.”

Mr Gilmore said information supplied by Mr Martin was one of “two issues of considerable substance” to be examined.

“The first is the arrangements for gardaí who want to bring issues of concern to attention and who want to make a complaint. And as you know we know, we have decided to make some changes in that.

“First of all we have decided to include gardaí under the protection of the whistleblowers legislation that Brendan Howlin is going to bring forward.

Secondly, we have taken another look at this idea of the confidential receiver of information from the gardaí. We’ve formed the view that perhaps it would be best if gardaí were able to go directly to GSOC themselves. We’re going to make provision for that in legislation.

“So as far as whistle-blowing is concerned in the gardai is concerned, we’re very clear on ensuring that there are protections for people who bring wrongdoing to attention.”

Earlier today Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin claimed additional whistleblowers had come forward alleging incidents of Garda malpractice.

Mr Martin said he had spoken to a male whistleblower over the weekend, while Sinn Féin justice spokesman Padraig Mac Lochlainn said a female had approached him with concerns.

Speaking this morning, Mr Mac Lochlainn said he had yet to be furnished with documentation from the whistleblower but would pass it on to Taoiseach Enda Kenny once he had.

Mr Martin’s spokesman said he also spoke to a female whistleblower but it is not known if it is the same person who was in contact with Mr Mac Lochlainn.

Separately, Mr Martin said he had received another dossier of information from a male whistleblower.

“When something like this happens, a lot of people contact you,” he told the Pat Kenny Show on Newstalk radio.

"I met another whistleblower on a separate issue completely within An Garda Síochána, on a different case completely, and met the person for about an hour and a bit and he handed over a dossier to me in relation to another murder case he feels wasn't properly dealt with."

Mr Martin said this person had already been given compensation by the courts over a mishandled case, but added the original wrong had not been redressed.

"This person would have got compensation by the way in the High Court on the basis of wrongdoing done to him which was admitted but the material [was] then locked up in a confidential agreement," Mr Martin said.

“This whole thing about ‘deal with it in the courts’, ‘deal with it in mediation’. That’s what worries me about that trend, the stuff doesn’t get out then in the end.”

Mr Martin also called for the full Garda report into the penalty points controversy to be published, and said Mr Shatter should apologise for claiming in the Dáil that Sgt Maurice McCabe had not co-operated with the internal inquiry.