Fianna Fáil TDs insist minister must go as apology was just ‘to save face’

Fianna Fáil TDs lined up last night to insist crisis-hit Justice Minister Alan Shatter resign immediately, saying his Dáil apology was only made “to save face and save your own skin”.

The opposition party repeatedly claimed the Fine Gael cabinet member has been “shamed” into apologising over his actions towards garda whistleblowers.

Throughout a five-hour Dáil grilling on the scandal, TDs claimed Mr Shatter is only admitting his error now because his political life is on the line.

They said the minister is acutely aware of the crisis surrounding him, but is remaining “true to form” by still insisting “it is always somebody else’s fault”.

“You’ve made a long-awaited apology to the whistleblowers. I think people are wondering why it took you six months,” said Limerick TD Niall Collins.

“You have made this kicking and screaming. So what has changed? It’s hard to shake the suspicion that you know the game is up for you. You have only apologised to save face and save your own skin,” said Mr Collins.

“You have reinstated the good names of Garda McCabe and John Wilson, but it’s a little late minister.

“True to your own classic form, you’ve come in, you’ve made an apology, but you still sub-contract some of the blame,” he said.

His party colleague, Mayo TD Dara Calleary, continued the attack, saying Mr Shatter was “shamed” into issuing a statement after comments made by fellow Fine Gael cabinet member, Leo Varadkar, last week when he described the whistleblowers as “distinguished”.

Noting that Mr Varadkar was at a ceremony honouring the Six Nations-winning Ireland rugby team, Mr Calleary suggested the justice minister would have been better off attending the event instead due to his “ability to pass the ball”.

He accused Mr Shatter of “rewriting history” by saying he was keen to address the concerns, with Mr Calleary claiming “you did your level best to ignore the allegations” over penalty points wrongdoing.

Despite promises from Mr Shatter that the system will be reformed to ensure all people in this country are treated equally by the justice system, the Fianna Fáil TD openly questioned the claim, saying pointedly: “Is it your intention to be there? While you are there, nothing will change.”

Public accounts committee chair and TD for Carlow-Kilkenny John McGuinness mirrored his colleague’s cutting comments, noting that despite Mr Shatter’s 30-minute statement he failed to wish Mr Wilson well in his battle against a recent cancer diagnosis.

During a heated exchange, Mr McGuinness said the justice minister is only in the position he is in now because he accepted “the culture that has led to this situation”.

Questioning whether anything will change despite the apology, he added: “The dogs may have barked, but your caravan has moved on.”