Callinan to retract insult to whistle blowers amidst ministerial pressure

Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan is to withdraw his controversial comments describing the actions of two whistle- blowers as “disgusting”, following pressure from Government ministers.

The controversy has created a crisis for the Coalition since Transport Minister Leo Varadkar said last Thursday that a withdrawal of the remarks would be “appropriate” — a position that has since been backed by the Labour Party.

The Cabinet is due to meet tomorrow after members returned from St Patrick’s Day visits around the globe, and a showdown is anticipated between Mr Varadkar and Justice Minister Alan Shatter.

Some of the heat is likely to be taken out of the controversy by the statement from the police chief to be made over the coming days.

However, Sergeant Maurice McCabe and retired garda John Wilson — who first blew the whistle on penalty point cancellations in the force and whose actions were described as “disgusting” — will not receive an apology.

The Irish Examiner understands that the commissioner feels he has been backed into a corner as a result of political manoeuvrings at Government level, particularly within the Fine Gael party, and has been left with little option but to withdraw his comments.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny said last night that he had not been in touch with the commissioner over the issue, and insisted that he would not pre-empt tomorrow’s Cabinet meeting.

At an Oireachtas committee last January, Mr Callinan said the disclosure of data from the Garda Pulse system by the whistleblowers to people outside the force was “disgusting”.

Following the publication of a report by the Garda Inspectorate last Wednesday week into the fines system, the commissioner moved to clarify his position.

He said his “disgusting” remark was not in reference to the character of either whistleblower, but rather the manner in which personal and sensitive data was inappropriately appearing in the public domain without regard to due process.

The matter died down afterwards but was re-ignited by Transport Minister Varadkar last Thursday at a road safety event attended by senior gardaí, when he called on the commissioner to withdraw the contentious remark.

There followed comments from Labour ministers Pat Rabbitte, Joan Burton, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore, and Ruairi Quinn, also calling on the commissioner to withdraw his remark.

Mr Callinan is expected to make reference to the controversy his comments have caused.

He will refer to wanting to improve the fines system and to work with all the agencies, in addition to implementing the 37 recommendations which are contained in the inspectorate’s report.

To facilitate this, Mr Callinan will say that he wants to take the word “disgusting” off the agenda and “withdraw” it.