Shatter took Callinan’s word ‘without question’

The word of the Garda commissioner was "accepted without question" by Alan Shatter, the former justice minister, when he examined complaints of misconduct against him in January 2012.

A report by barrister Seán Guerin found that the “only action” that the minister took on foot of a complaint made by Sergeant Maurice McCabe to Oliver Connolly, the confidential recipient, was to seek a response from Martin Callinan himself.

This was in breach of Mr Shatter’s statutory duty, which is to ensure such a complaint is investigated unless he believes it is “not made in good faith or is false, frivolous, or vexatious”.