Quinn defies Taoiseach in Garda chief row

Education Minister Ruairí Quinn has defied Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s plea to keep criticism of the Garda Commissioner within the confines of Cabinet.

He issued a public statement just hours after the Taoiseach openly chastised his ministers for speaking out against Commissioner Martin Callinan.

But Mr Quinn defied Mr Kenny’s demands and supported the points raised by his Labour Party colleagues who had earlier rowed in behind Fine Gael’s Transport Minister Leo Varadkar.