The Minister for Justice has expressed his confidence in the Garda and in the Garda commissioner following the publication of the second report of the Morris tribunal.
The report, published yesterday, found the investigation into the death of cattle dealer Richie Barron in Donegal was "prejudiced, tendentious and utterly negligent in the highest degree".
Speaking on RTE's Today with Pat Kennyprogramme, Mr McDowell said the investigation into Mr Barron's death - where certain gardaí appeared to have converted "rumour" about the McBrearty family into a presumption of guilt and "ignored" evidence that exonerated them - amounted to "a frame-up".
He said the Director of Public Prosecutions had a copy of the report and that "no doubt" he would go through it with a view to finding whether there are sustainable prosecutions.
On the question of the Mr McBrearty's legal fees, Mr McDowell said they had been offered legal representation on the same basis as the gardaí accused of wrongdoing.
However, what they were asking for was "for me to take out my cheque book" and to say that no matter whether they co-operated, or whether they were truthful in their evidence, that the Minister would pay their costs in advance, Mr McDowell said.
"I have to deal fairly with everyone and I am dealing fairly with everyone," he added.
Questioned about the fact that there was "someone out there who killed" Richie Barron, Mr McDowell said there was a "hit-and-run" driver out there and that was an "unresolved mystery". Part of the reason for that must be attributed to the way the incident was investigated, he said.
The Minister
said there were 12,000 gardaí in the force "in a state of considerable emotional upset" because of the events exposed by the Morris tribunal.
The gardaí did their jobs conscientiously and he was "proud of them as a force", Mr McDowell said, adding he intended to strengthen the force and bring it forward in the future.
He said sometimes "armchair critics" of the gardaí forget that they were the people putting their lives in danger. "It's they [gardaí] that have been called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice, to lose their lives protecting your life and mine."
The Minister also said it was unfair to "round on" Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy as he was not commissioner at the time these events took place.
He was a man of "transcendent honesty and modesty", and Mr McDowell had the highest regard for him and the greatest confidence in him.