Labour press for Shatter to correct remarks

Tensions between the Coalition parties have deepened ahead of today’s Cabinet showdown after Labour put it up to Justice Minister Alan Shatter to correct his controversial comments that two garda whistleblowers did not co-operate with an inquiry into penalty points.

In what was seen as a planned attempt to increase the pressure on Fine Gael, Labour leader Eamon Gilmore said it would be “helpful if the remarks were withdrawn”.

Mr Shatter erroneously told the Dáil last October that the whistleblowers — Sgt Maurice McCabe and retired garda John Wilson — “did not co-operate with the Garda investigation that took place”.