Shatter issues apology to RTÉ journalist

MINISTER FOR Justice Alan Shatter last night apologised to RTÉ crime correspondent Paul Reynolds for highly personalised and critical remarks he made about the reporter at a meeting of town councillors in Templemore, Co Tipperary, on Wednesday.

Mr Shatter said in a statement last night: “I apologise to Paul Reynolds for comments made by me yesterday. Whilst as a public figure I have no difficulty in dealing with issues relating to my public duties, I considered the broadcast of Paul Reynolds on the RTÉ television one o’clock news yesterday to be grossly unfair to Mr Oliver Connolly, a private individual of impeccable integrity who had agreed to act as the confidential recipient in relation to An Garda Síochána.

“I inappropriately responded by making comments about Paul which I now regret and acknowledge were unfair and inaccurate. I am advised that Paul Reynolds yesterday apologised to Mr Connolly.

“I am apologising to Paul Reynolds and I want to acknowledge the contribution and value of his work as RTÉ’s crime correspondent. I hope that Paul will accept my apology and that we can both move on.”

However, last night RTÉ disputed that Reynolds had apologised to Mr Connolly and said that while a conversation had occurred between the two, no apology was necessary.

Mr Shatter made the comments, quoted in The Irish Times, after attending a graduation ceremony in the Garda college, at which the journalist questioned him about the appointment of one of his political donors to the part-time position dealing with whistleblowers in An Garda Síochána.

The National Union of Journalists had called on the Minister to publicly withdraw his comments. Irish secretary of the union Séamus Dooley said: “It is unacceptable for the Minister for Justice to launch an attack on the professional integrity or ability of an individual worker.

“Such a slur would be unacceptable in any circumstance but for the Minister for Justice to make such allegations with no regard for due process is as surprising as it is alarming.”

Chairwoman of the RTÉ broadcasting branch of the NUJ Emma O’Kelly said Mr Shatter had crossed the line in his comments.

“Journalists have no difficulty in accepting criticism of their work but in challenging the competence of Paul Reynolds the Minister for Justice has sought to damage the professional reputation of an experienced and committed journalist.

“His colleagues stand beside Paul Reynolds and are genuinely appalled by this attempt at character assassination.”

Fianna Fáil justice spokesman Dara Calleary described the Minister for Justice’s remarks as completely and wholly inappropriate. He said Mr Shatter “is now a Minister and has to be very careful” in his comments.