Shatter did not want issues probed

Alan Shatter, the former justice minister, wrote to the Taoiseach and ceann comhairle urging that aspects of the Guerin report concerning Mr Shatter’s handling of allegations by Garda whistleblower Sergeant Maurice McCabe not be investigated by an intended commission of investigation pending the outcome of legal proceedings.

Correspondence from Mr Shatter and his lawyers, and replies to that, was read in the High Court yesterday during the hearing of Mr Shatter’s judicial review challenge aimed at quashing parts of the report of barrister Seán Guerin concerning Mr Shatter’s handling of Sgt McCabe’s allegations.

Mr Shatter claims Mr Guerin breached fair procedures in how he reached allegedly adverse conclusions that, it is claimed, left the then minister with no option but to resign the day after the report was published on May 6, 2014.