Sinn Féin says Fennelly report ‘damning’ for Attorney General

Sinn Féin has said its planned motion of no confidence in relation to the Fennelly report related not just to the Taoiseach but “very serious questions” around the Attorney General’s role in the matter.

The party’s deputy leader, Mary Lou McDonald said it was the Taoiseach’s position that the Fennelly Report had vindicated him whereas it had done “nothing of the sort”.

She said the report demonstrated “the fact that the Taoiseach was willing to step beyond his proper authority to act unilaterally and to force the resignation of the Garda Commissioner...through a third party (former secretary general of the Department of Justice Brian Purcell)”.

“We believe that the Taoiseach’s ineptitude and duplicity is once again exposed and on that basis we have tabled a no confidence motion in him”.

However, she said the Fennelly report had also been “damning” in respect of the performance of the Attorney General, Máire Whelan.

"It's clear that there is a lack of consistency in the advice given to Government...(and) it appears that the Attorney General decided unilaterally not to inform key office holders of very important events," she said, adding that the Oireachtas needed an opportunity to fully discuss the report.

Mr Kenny has said he did not have any regrets on how he handled the situation and it was former Garda commissioner Martin Callinan's decision to retire.

“It was his (Callinan’s) decision to retire. He had other options but he decided not to use them,” said Mr Kenny.