Minister for Justice Alan Shatter told the Dáil he was unaware of Garda phone tapping before Monday evening. He said he only received the letter from Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan outlining the garda phone recordings yesterday afternoon.
While opposition leaders question the veracity of Mr Shatter's claim, Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar has voiced his confidence in the Minister for Justice.
“I have absolute confidence in Alan Shatter. He’s been a very effective Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence,” said Mr Varadkar at the Restaurants Association of Ireland conference in Dublin today.
“He’s doing a lot in terms of the social policy agenda and has done a really great thing in terms of citizenship for the new Irish.”
“And as well as that, crime is actually going down,” he said. “If you look at things objectively he’s a very effective Minister for Justice.”
Mr Varadkar described the Government’s decision to establish an independent Garda authority as “huge” and “momentous”.
“Given his success in other areas, I think Alan Shatter is absolutely the man to bring those reforms about and make sure they happen,” he added.
He said that the commission of inquiry into Garda recording of phone-calls was not an attempt to put the problem on the long finger.
“Nothing is being parked here,” he said. “This is not a government that sweeps things under the carpet. That has changed.”
However, Mr Varadkar noted that the whole issue was “quite confusing” and that ministers would need time “to absorb” all the information. “I have difficulty getting my head around it at the moment.”
Mr Varadkar said everyone should continue to show support and respect for rank-and-file gardaí. “They have done absolutely nothing wrong and are not in any way to blame for this.”
When asked if the Attorney General had acted appropriately, he said: “Yes, I believe so.”
He also said the Taoiseach had acted “extraordinarily well” over the last couple of days.
“The moment he was aware of all of these issues, he took personal control of it and has acted entirely appropriately.”
Asked if the Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan was right to resign, he said: “That’s a decision for himself…my only interest in this has ever been from a road traffic and road safety point of view…I certainly never asked him to retire.”
“In the round, I think Martin Callinan did a lot of service to the State and we need to respect that and wish him the best in his retirement.”
