Frances Fitzgerald: Culture of secrecy understandable

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald has defended the culture of secrecy that existed at her department for decades but says it must now be made "fit for purpose".

Following the publication of a damning independent review of the Department of Justice, she said that no “secret deal” was done with the head of the department, Brian Purcell, who has now resigned but will be reassigned elsewhere in the public service.

The review recommends restructuring the department into separate justice and home affairs portfolios. It was ordered after a series of criticisms on how the department operated following a separate examination on garda malpractice claims by barrister Sean Guerin. It says that justice has a “closed, secretive and silo driven culture”, that there are significant leadership and management problems and “no clear ownership of issues”.