It is an ironic twist of this political saga that the man who was hailed as the most reforming minister of all time was brought down by behaviour that belongs to a different era.

The word of the Garda commissioner was "accepted without question" by Alan Shatter, the former justice minister, when he examined complaints of misconduct against him in January 2012.

In the end, it was not the misleading remarks about garda whistleblowers on the floor of the Dáil; it was not the misuse of confidential information against a political opponent during a live television debate; and it was not the attempt to play down concerns that the Garda watchdog was being monitored.

A damning report showing a failure by the Department of Justice to adequately deal with allegations of malpractice, corruption and falsification of records within the gardaí forced the sudden resignation of Alan Shatter as minister for justice.

A keen tennis player, Alan Shatter had set up camp at the back of the political court for months backhanding a seeming endless number of crises — without, apparently, breaking much sweat.

WHEN the whistle finally blew on Alan Shatter’s Cabinet career it was greeted by audible intakes of breath followed by a disbelieving silence in the Dáil.

Alan Shatter backed the wrong horse when whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe made serious allegations about Garda conduct and has paid the ultimate price, writes Michael Clifford.

In a country where political resignation is more a state of mind rather than an occasionally used sometimes even an honourable bookend to a discredited political career these are indeed seismic, almost GUBU II weeks in political and public life.

Allegations of wrongdoing, malpractice and corruption in the Gardaí have claimed a third major scalp with Alan Shatter’s dramatic departure.

Martin Callinan began work at the Commissioner’s desk in a hurry to manage one of the most complicated security operations ever undertaken in Ireland.

Sacked Confidential Recipient Oliver Connolly, the Garda Commissioner, the Garda Ombudsman, and former Northern Ireland police ombudsman Nuala O’Loan, are being invited to make submissions to a special Oireachtas committee review on Garda oversight.

Former garda confidential recipient Oliver Connolly is to be invited to give evidence before the Oireachtas Justice Committee about how he handled whistleblowers and complaints in the force.

The former garda confidential recipient, Oliver Connolly, declined a request by the Department of Justice to repudiate an alleged transcript of a conversation he had with a garda whistleblower.

Oliver Connolly has released a statement about his role as confidential recipient for An Garda Síochána.

While the garda confidential recipient has directed his ire against opposition politicians, the media, and the whistleblower, he need only turn to the man who appointed him if he wants someone to blame, writes Michael Clifford

The former Garda confidential recipient has released a statement criticising members of the Oireachtas and sections of the media over the events which led to him being dismissed.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said that anyone who plays politics with a series of controversies involving the gardaí should hang their heads in shame.

It is time to redesign the architecture of Garda accountability, writes Mark Kelly

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said anyone who plays politics with a series of controversies involving the Garda should hang their heads in shame.

The leading criminal lawyer appointed by the Government to conduct an independent inquiry into allegations of Garda corruption has been specifically tasked with interviewing whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe or anyone else relevant to his claims.

The Oireachtas Justice Committee is to consider inviting former Garda confidential recipient Oliver Connolly to appear and answer questions about how he handled whistleblower complaints.

The Minister for Justice said today he was "astonished" at Oliver Connolly's comments to a Garda whistleblower.

The Senior Counsel appointed to probe Garda whistleblower allegations will examine new claims made by a female member of the force, according to the Minister for Education.

Alan Shatter has said that 11 out of 12 cases in a dossier of whistleblower claims are ‘groundless’ on the basis that alleged Garda malpractice had been investigated by the gardaí. But how thorough were these investigations, asks Michael Clifford.

We can no longer trust in Alan Shatter to fulfil his ministerial role, writes Mick Wallace.

Further dramatic claims have emerged about a second Garda whistleblower who was warned about the consequences of pursuing an allegation of sexual harassment within the force.

Justice Minister Alan Shatter rejected allegations that he had misled the Dáil when he claimed whistleblower Garda Maurice McCabe had refused to co-operate with the Garda investigation into the wiping of penalty points.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheal Martin has said questions need to be answered by the justice minister and the force on whether failures by gardaí led to the murder of a mother of two in Limerick.

A second garda whistleblower was warned by the Garda confidential recipient of the consequences of pursuing claims against the force in relation to an alleged sexual assault, it was claimed in the Dáil yesterday.

In politics, perception is everything.

“Another investigation of paper behind closed doors will be wholly inadequate in addressing the real concerns about policing, which is a fundamental branch of the administration of the State.”

The powers of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) are to be increased after the Cabinet decided to replace the confidential recipient process by allowing serving gardaí to make their complaints directly to GSOC itself.

Regarding the ‘so-called’ Garda whistleblower saga, and putting politics aside, it was with astonishment that I watched Garda Assistant Commissioner John O’Mahoney, the officer who was tasked by Commissioner Martin Callinan to investigate the complaint made to the confidential recipient in April 2012, say to the Public Account’s Committee on January 23 that he did not feel that it was necessary to interview either of the members, because the complaint was ‘anonymous’.

Garda whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe has spoken publicly for the first time to dispute what he says are “false and misleading statements” which were attributed to Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan in reports yesterday.

The coalition is under pressure to take action to resolve the crisis on the third anniversary of the last election, writes Political Reporter Juno McEnroe

It has been claimed that the now-dismissed Garda Confidential Recipient requested to meet whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe because he was concerned for his welfare.

Minister for Justice Alan Shatter said that he had no choice but to sack the man responsible for hearing internal Garda complaints.

An internal review has been ordered at the Department of Justice amid mounting pressure on Justice Minister Alan Shatter to address opposition claims that he did nothing about Garda malpractice allegations for two years.

Labour has backed embattled Justice Minister Alan Shatter amid claims that he ignored serious allegations of Garda malpractice for over two years.

Justice Minister Alan Shatter is still refusing to apologise to garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe, amid calls that he correct the Dáil record over comments he made about him last October.

Eight TDs yesterday called on embattled Justice Minister Alan Shatter to resign in the wake of the alleged bugging of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman’s offices.

One of the two Garda whistleblowers involved in the penalty points controversy said the firing yesterday of the Confidential Recipient Oliver Connolly was a case of "shooting the messenger".

The Minister for Communications, Pat Rabbitte, said Oliver Connolly's sacking as the go-between for Garda whistleblowers was "inevitable".

The Fianna Fáil leader, Micheál Martin, accused the Minister for Justice of misleading the Dáil in relation to Garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe.