Taoiseach insists Shatter made decision to resign himself

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has insisted Alan Shatter alone made the decision to resign as Minister for Justice and that he did not bring his position as Taoiseach to bear.

Mr Kenny said this evening it was quite clear that Mr Shatter arrived at his own conclusion to step down after reading the report by senior counsel Sean Guerin on the manner in which the Garda Síochána and the Department of Justice, as well as Mr Shatter, had responded to the serious allegations made by whistleblower Maurice McCabe.

Speaking to reporters in Portlaoise, the Taoiseach said: “That was the decision that Alan Shatter came to himself and that’s directly stated in his own letter, and [HE STATED]so to me.”

When Mr Kenny was asked if he had influenced the decision, he said: “I have read all the comments and heard all the reports. You can be quite clear, Alan Shatter was very clear in that his resignation was his decision and his choice. That decision was based on the findings of the report even though he was not interviewed by Mr Guerin.

Asked would he have insisted on Mr Shatter’s resignation had it not been offered, Mr Kenny responded that that was a different matter.

“When [MR SHATTER]read the report and went through the relevant sections he made his own choice.”

Asked did he agree with the Tánaiste’s comments that Mr Shatter had made the right decision, Mr Kenny responded: “I think it’s in his own words. it was the right decision to make. We are moving on now.”

Mr Kenny also raised the suggestion that the Commission of Investigation to be establsihed may also include the recommendations of a separate inquiry by Mr Justice John Cooke in its terms of reference. Mr Cooke, a retired judge, is investigating allegations that the head office of GSOC was bugged.

“There is a possibility that when Mr Justice Cooke comes in with his report there may be something similar. I don’t know. I have had no contact.

“The question is do you run these commission individually or put them together.”

Mr Kenny said the Guerin report was principally about the inadequacy of investigation by the gardai and by the Department of Justice into the allegations.

Mr Kenny was accompanied by the new Minister for Children Charlie Flanagan, making his first visit back to his home town as a senior Minister. He was accompanied by his wife Mary. The Laois-Offaly TD is the fifth senior Minister from the constituency, all from Fine Gael. Three were O'Higgins, and the fourth was his own father Oliver J Flanagan.

Mr Flanagan said it was a great honor to be appointed by the Taoiseach to serve at the highest level in Irish politics. He said that taking charge of a new Department such as children was a “great challenge”.

“It is essential that we accord children their rightful place under our Constitution and in our laws,” he said.