Defiant Alan Shatter denies he misled Dáil

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.

Contradicting remarks attributed to Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan that Sgt McCabe was directed to co-operate with the Assistant Commissioner John O’Mahony’s inquiry, Mr Shatter said “he [McCabe] clearly wasn’t directed to engage but he was invited to engage with Assistant Commissioner O’Mahony”.

Mr Shatter said people had different perceptions of the issue but he has still refused to apologise to Sgt McCabe.