Minister for Justice Alan Shatter has defended the appointment of one of his political donors to a part-time post dealing with whistleblowers in the Garda Síochána.
The Government appointed barrister Oliver Connolly as an external “confidential recipient” for complaints from gardaí about corruption in the force, on a salary of €12,500 a year.
Records held by the Standards in Public Office Commission show that Mr Connolly gave Mr Shatter a cheque for €1,000 in the 2007 general election year.
Mr Connolly is the founder of Friary Law, which specialises in mediation services and which has developed a family mediation model together with Mr Shatter, who is a solicitor and expert in family law.
Yesterday, Mr Shatter said the appointment was made by the Cabinet as a whole and that Mr Connolly’s donation had “no connection” with it.
“Nobody has ever suggested that an individual who contributes to democratic politics in this country should be discriminated against, pilloried and excluded from ever being appointed to any body whatsoever,” he told RTÉ Radio.