Hogan does not believe Callinan should withdraw comments

Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan has said he does not believe Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan should not withdraw his comments in which he called the actions of whistleblowers "disgusting".

Mr Hogan also declined to say how he would describe the actions of Sgt Maurice McCabe and former Garda John Wilson.

He said he would express his views privately at Cabinet, as advised by Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

“I will discuss those matters, as advised by the Taoiseach, with my Cabinet colleagues,” he told RTÉ’s ‘This Week’ programme.

Mr Hogan also said Mr Callinan had already explained “his comments and the context in which he made them”.

“We acknowledge, very much as a Government, that it is important for whistleblowers to bring forward material that they feel needs to be investigated.”

He said the issues brought forward by Sgt McCabe and Mr Wilson were being investigated, and added he believed proposals for an independent Garda authority are “worthy of investigation.”

Minister for Justice Alan Shatter may bring forward similar proposals shortly, he said.

Mr Hogan’s comments come after Taoiseach Enda Kenny said Cabinet members should not air their views on the Garda Commissioner in public.

Speaking in Brussels on Friday, Mr Kenny’s comments were seen as criticism of Cabinet members who had called on Mr Callanan to withdraw comments in which he called whistleblowers “disgusting”.

Fianna Fáil leader Mícheál Martin said Mr Kenny’s comments were a “severe rebuke” to those Cabinet members who had called on Mr Callanan to withdraw his comments.

Also speaking on Friday, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said he shared the views of Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton and Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar who had sought the withdrawal of the Commissioner’s comments.