Shatter: I’m not public enemy No 1

Key questions in the controversy of phone recordings at Garda stations remain unanswered as the Justice Minister responded to a no-confidence motion by telling the Dáil he is not “public enemy number one”.

Alan Shatter admitted “I don’t get everything right” and strongly defended his record against claims by the Opposition that he was not capable of administering justice, and that he had overseen a number of “shambles”.

However, the Opposition said the minister did not address why he was not told by his department about information it had received from the Garda Commissioner in relation to the recording issue until a full two weeks later.

Earlier, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said neither the letter nor its contents were raised in a meeting on the bugging issue on Monday, March 24, despite one of those present, the secretary general at the Department of Justice, having had it for two weeks.

A spokesperson for Mr Kenny, said there would have been a “reasonable expectation” that he would have been told about it.

Last night, Mr Purcell said the widespread nature of phone recordings did not initially stand out in a “red-flag manner”.

He said the “explosive nature” of the garda recordings in the Ian Bailey case may have “deflected attention away from the systemic issue” of mass taping of calls at stations.

However, Mr Purcell did not address why he did not tell Mr Kenny about the letter before he was sent to the home of Garda Commissioner, Martin Callinan, on the Monday night — a meeting that resulted in Mr Callinan’s resignation.

Labour’s Pat Rabbitte, the communications minister, told the Dáil that he could not answer why the letter was not passed on to Mr Shatter for 15 days, but this was one of the questions that needed to be answered.

“This debate can clear up some of the questions, but by reason of the nature of the controversy there are other questions which must be left to the statutory inquiry,” said Mr Rabbitte.

Meanwhile, a fresh bugging probe opened after Mr Kenny revealed that phone conversations between 84 prisoners and their solicitors had been “inadvertently recorded”.

Time line

The Justice Department says it took until March 24 for Alan Shatter to receive the letter given to his secretary general on March 10.

March 10: Letter received. Widespread nature of phone tapings was not raised as a “red flag” issue.

March 11: The matters covered in Mr Callinan’s letter were being considered by Justice Department officials in the context of legal consultation in the Ian Bailey case.

March 12, am: Mr Shatter was debating the DNA Bill in the Dáil.

1:30pm: Meeting of Fine Gael ministers.

2:15pm: Mr Shatter attends cabinet meeting.

Afternoon: The Garda Inspectorate report into penalty point cancellations was being published. Accompanying statement by Mr Shatter was being issued.

6pm: At launch of book on divorce law until 8pm.March 13: Secretary general of the department was appearing at the Public Accounts Committee.

March 14: Mr Shatter was at the Department of Defence.

March 15: Mr Shatter left for Mexico. The secretary general was away until March 24 due to a family bereavement.