Kenny: I should have been told about letter

Enda Kenny has admitted he “should have been told” about a letter former Garda commissioner Martin Callinan sent to the Department of Justice warning about the Garda bugging scandal.

The Taoiseach said the department’s secretary general, Brian Purcell, did not tell him or Alan Shatter about the letter or its contents during a meeting on Monday, March 24, at which it was decided to send Mr Purcell to visit Mr Callinan at home to express the Government’s concern at the bugging situation.

Mr Callinan resigned as commissioner the next morning, but Mr Kenny has denied the purpose of Mr Purcell’s visit was to effectively sack him.