Shatter: Some people ‘crying crocodile tears’ for Callinan

Former minister for justice Alan Shatter has failed to express confidence in Taoiseach Enda Kenny or the Attorney General Marie Whelan.

Mr Shatter confirmed he will not vote with the opposition parties motion of no-confidence in Mr Kenny or Ms Whelan.

However when asked if he was supportive of the Taoiseach or the AG, Mr Shatter declined to answer. Speaking on RTE radio, he said: “I am conscious that for a period of the Dáil in which, for politically opportunistic reasons, allegations were made against a variety of people.

"Members of the opposition who are now jumping up and down crying crocodile tears on behalf of Martin Callinan, who did a very good job as a Garda Commissioner, are the ones who spent weeks calling for his head.

“So there is a credibility gap there.”

Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin are to formally table motions declaring they have no confidence in the Mr Kenny after the publication of the Fennelly report.

The Fennelly report found Mr Shatter was kept in the dark by Mr Kenny and the Attorney General Marie Whelan about the recording of telephone calls in and out of Garda stations.

Mr Justice Nial Fennelly said the Attorney General did not try to contact Mr Shatter or discuss the issues involved with him at a time when he was justice minister.

Ms Whelan, as Attorney General, told the Taoiseach on Sunday, March 23rd, and a crucial meeting was called the following day. Mr Shatter was not included in the meeting until sometime after it had started.

Mr Justice Fennelly noted that at this stage, Mr Shatter was “uniquely placed to obtain experiences and clarifications from the Garda Commissioner if required”. But this did not happen.

“He was not asked to do this,” the report author states.

Mr Shatter told the inquiry he was “firmly of the view that the commissioner was expected by the Taoiseach to consider his position”.

Earlier, Tánaiste Joan Burton insisted the Taoiseach acted with great care and consideration in the lead up to the resignation of Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan.

The Fennelly report found this week Enda Kenny did not sack the former Commissioner but it was reasonable for Mr Callinan to come to the conclusion that he was being asked to step down.

Ms Burton said: “I think the Taoiseach acted with great care and consideration. As the judge says, the Commissioner’s decision to retire was the Commissioner’s own decision.”

The Tánaiste insisted she is satisfied that Mr Kenny did not force Mr Callinan to step down and was fully supportive of her colleague and Attorney General Marie Whelan.

Sinn Féin is to table a motion of no confidence in Ms Whelan after the findings of the report.

The Commission of Investigation had to interview the Attorney General four times after her evidence was contradicted.

Ms Whelan was criticised by Mr Justice Nial Fennelly for not contacting Mr Callinan or former minister for justice Alan Shatter about the recording of telephone calls in and out of Garda stations.

The office of the Attorney General had been aware of the problem since November 2013 but did not inform the Taoiseach until March 2014.