Shatter asks Taoiseach to withdraw Guerin report

Former minister for justice Alan Shatter has asked the Taoiseach to withdraw the Guerin report into Mr Shatter’s handling of Garda whistleblowers’ complaints from circulation in the Oireachtas.

The report compiled by senior counsel Seán Guerin, which criticised Mr Shatter’s handling of the complaints, has been taken down from the website of the Department of the Taoiseach. This follows a recent decision by the Court of Appeal that it breached Mr Shatter’s rights to natural justice and fair procedure.

In a statement, Mr Shatter said he welcomed the fact the report had been taken down from the Taoiseach’s website and was asking that statements made in the Dáil following its findings be corrected on the record of the House. He also said the report, which the Taoiseach had laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas, should be withdrawn.

Mr Shatter was critical of “those in leadership positions in Fine Gael” who, he said, made a “political pariah” of him.

He again expressed his unhappiness that Mr Guerin did not afford him “a fair hearing” and said he had detailed his concerns to the Taoiseach but they were repeatedly ignored.

There was no comment from the Department of the Taoiseach last night. It is understood the Taoiseach’s office regards the Guerin report as being “out of date”, having been superseded by another report into the controversy that made no criticisms of Mr Shatter.