Report on whistleblower ‘must be published within week’

Opposition parties are expected to demand the Government review into all contacts between the Department of Justice and a Garda whistleblower be completed and published within a week.

Fianna Fáil has claimed this weekend that the review ordered by Minister for Justice Alan Shatter into contacts was a way of kicking the matter into the "long grass".

Party leader Micheál Martin said that the whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe had asserted Mr Shatter was aware of the allegations as far back as 2012. The Minister for Justice, who arrived back in Ireland yesterday from a meeting of EU defence ministers in Greece, made no comment last night.

However, a spokeswoman said he had initiated a review of all correspondence between his Department and Sgt Maurice McCabe. No indication was given as to when its finding will be made public.

It came as it emerged the alternative report commissioned by the Minister for Justice into suspected bugging of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission offices had been completed within four days.

Mr Shatter told an Oireachtas Committee that the report had arrived at alternative theories to how the three potential threats to security at GSOC offices had occurred.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore and senior Ministers Michael Noonan and Pat Rabbitte strongly defended Mr Shatter and his handling of those issues.

Mr Kenny strongly ruled out a Commission of Investigation into the allegations contained in a comprehensive dossier prepared by Sgt McCabe. However, Mr Rabbitte did hold out the possibility that such an inquiry might take place.

Mr Kenny, in an outright defence, said there was no reason for Mr Shatter to come into the Dáil to explain anything further, pointing out he had already spoken at length in the chamber and at the Oireachtas committee. He said it was quite right for Mr Shatter to order a review.

He also suggested it was imperative Mr Shatter had a close relationship with the Garda Commissioner.

“Minister Shatter no more than any other Minister for Justice is required to have a strong working relationship with the Commissioner.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, in comments to The Irish Times, said the Taoiseach was trying kick the serious allegations into the “long grass of an internal Department of Justice review”.

He said it was not an acceptable alternative to a proper commission of inquiry.

“We do not need the Government to play for time or try to bury the issue in more bureaucracy,” he said.

Mr Gilmore defended Mr Shatter as a very competent minister who was doing a very good job. He said the Government would take the contents of Sgt McCabe’s dossier very seriously. Mr Rabbitte also defended Mr Shatter’s ability and intelligence but did not dismiss the possibility of a commission of investigation once the review of the dossier had been completed.

He also held out the possibility that Mr Shatter was mistaken in relation to Sgt McCabe when he said Garda whistleblowers had not cooperated with the investigation on penalty points conducted by a senior Garda office.

Mr Noonan expressed confidence in Mr Shatter and accused opposition parties of having tried to smear him. The Minister for Finance also suggested the documents might not hold up to scrutiny when examined in full.