Shatter denies State tried to hide elements of Bailey case

Alan Shatter, the justice minister, has denied that the Government had sought to keep key elements of the Director of Public Prosecution’s criticisms of the garda investigation into Ian Bailey from the public.

Mr Shatter reacted to reports which alleged that the attorney general had agreed to release sensitive information relating to the Bailey case only if aspects of it were not put in the public domain.

The revelation came after Mr Bailey, who lives in West Cork, last Friday defeated an attempt by French authorities to extradite him for questioning in relation to the murder of film-maker Sophie Toscan du Plantier near Schull in December 1996.