Fitzgerald under pressure to decide on future of senior official

Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald is under renewed pressure to decide on the future of Department of Justice secretary general Brian Purcell as the publication of a key report on recent policing scandals edges closer.

The report, which has also examined the department's general fitness for purpose, has been compiled by an expert group under former Dublin Airport Authority and Glanbia chief executive Kevin Toland. It was submitted to Ms Fitzgerald two weeks ago.

The Irish Times understands it is critical of Mr Purcell, whom Ms Fitzgerald has declined to back publicly since taking office two months ago after the resignation of former minister Alan Shatter.

Fianna Fáil spokesman on justice Niall Collins last night said the time had come for the report to be published and for Ms Fitzgerald to decide if she backed Mr Purcell or not.

“She needs to decide now if she is running a department with someone she has confidence in,” he said.

"The Minister appeared before the justice Oireachtas committee a couple of weeks ago, accompanied by assistant secretaries general. Mr Purcell was conspicuous by his absence. We'd really need to be moving this on at this stage."

Publication ‘imminent’

A spokeswoman for Ms Fitzgerald said the report would be published “very shortly”, while Minister for European Affairs

Dara Murphy

yesterday said it would be published imminently.

Ms Fitzgerald’s spokeswoman said the Minister initiated the review, which was expected to be published in July, and said it was being thoroughly examined given its “nature and scope”.

It is understood Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Tánaiste Joan Burton have been kept informed by Ms Fitzgerald.

The review has examined how the department, under Mr Purcell, handled serious allegations by Garda whistleblowers on penalty points and other policing malpractice.