Privacy fears see committee dodge Callinan probe

The chairman of the Oireachtas justice committee said questions may not be asked about the resignation of Martin Callinan because it could amount to an invasion into the private life of the former Garda commissioner.

Fine Gael TD David Stanton also said the committee would not be questioning Taoiseach Enda Kenny about his role in the resignation, which the opposition parties claim was “shrouded in secrecy”.

Mr Kenny has been accused of effectively sacking the commissioner by dispatching the secretary general of the Department of Justice, Brian Purcell, to Mr Callinan’s home on the night before his surprise resignation.