FF claims Taoiseach ‘essentially sacked’ Commissioner

Taoiseach Enda Kenny confirmed he sent a senior official to see Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan the night before he resigned in connection with the establishment of an inquiry into the system of taping phone calls at Garda stations.

Mr Kenny sent the secretary general of the Department of Justice to see the commissioner because “I thought it appropriate given the nature of the information made available to me that the commissioner should be made aware of the gravity of how I felt about this and its implications”.

Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin said the confirmation that Mr Kenny sent an official to see the Garda Commissioner meant “you essentially sacked him”.

Mr Martin said that was “appalling” because the commissioner had already written to the Minister for Justice two weeks ago and that the Attorney General knew about the issue four months previously.

He also claimed the Taoiseach had not told opposition leaders "the full story" when he briefed Mr Martin and Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams yesterday about the establishment of the commission.

Mr Kenny told the Fianna Fáil leader: "It's the first time you've accused me of being a liar" and he said "I deplore what you're suggesting."

During leaders' questions Mr Kenny also said he expected Minister for Justice Alan Shatter to deal with how the Garda whistleblowers were treated.

He acknowledged to Mr Adams that “there wasn’t enough done by the gardaí to engage with the whistleblowers in the presenting of their information”.

He said he expected Mr Shatter “to deal with that when he comes to address the Garda Inspectorate’s report today”.

Mr Adams said the Taoiseach had told the Opposition he was informed on Sunday of very serious allegations of recording by gardaí but this practice had been brought to the Government’s attention on at least three occasions.

Mr Adams said the Taoiseach yesterday refused to answer him when he asked if the Garda commissioner knew of the phone recordings before he put in his letter of retirement. But it had emerged that “not only did he know, but he wrote to the Government about this”.

He asked “what sort of Government are you running?” when the Taoiseach wasn’t told until Sunday about the issue.

He told Mr Kenny that if he kept backing Mr Shatter “you’re bringing your own office into the controversy”.

But Mr Kenny replied: “You only want a head”.

The Taoiseach also staunchly defended the Minister when Independent TD Stephen Donnelly said Mr Shatter did not have the respect of gardaí, the department of justice or the public to deal with the "herculean" challenge of reform of the Garda.

Mr Kenny said, however, the Minister for Justice “is not liked by the judiciary. He’s not liked by the legal profession. He’s not liked by the gardaí. He mightn’t be liked by a lot of people but I’ll give you one thing - he’s got the courage to deal with the truth and to change it where it’s necessary in the interests of our citizens and our country.

He told Mr Donnelly: “He’s never been afraid to deal with what’s been lying under a lot of carpets for many years.”