Micheál Martin calls for apology to Garda whistleblowers

The Taoiseach should “take control” of the controversy surrounding the treatment of Garda whistleblowers and ensure an apology is issued, according to the Fianna Fáil leader, Micheál Martin.

He was speaking to reporters at his party’s ard fheis in Killarney, after Education Minister Ruairi Quinn joined three other ministers in calling on Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan to bring an end to the controversy by withdrawing his comments that the actions of the whistleblowers were “disgusting”.

Mr Quinn made his comments on Friday, just hours after Enda Kenny warned ministers that they should raise their concerns around the cabinet table, and not “have them aired in public”.

Mr Martin said: “Clearly Ruairi Quinn ignored the Taoiseach’s advice. It’s very clear the Labour Party are not in the mood to be shut down by the Taoiseach, nor indeed or some of his own cabinet ministers.”

He said it would be better if some of the ministers “were as vocal” about Justice Minister Alan Shatter, as they were about the Garda commissioner. “In our view there is a very serious issue still remaining to be corrected,” he said, referring to Mr Shatter’s comments in the Dáil last October that the whistleblowers did not cooperate with an internal Garda inquiry on penalty point cancellations.

“Everybody in the Dáil privately at this stage — bar Alan Shatter himself — believes he should withdraw that statement and apologise. The Taoiseach really should take control of that situation and ensure an apology is made and the record of the House is corrected,” he said.

Spokesperson on justice, Niall Collins, said it was “time for Shatter to go and let An Garda Síochána get on with the job”.