Frances Fitzgerald: I was shocked over carpark meeting

The justice minister has said she was shocked at the revelation a serving garda chief held a secret meeting in a carpark with a TD in an alleged attempt to discredit a garda whistleblower.

Frances Fitzgerald also said yesterday she had full confidence in the garda commissioner, Nóirín O’Sullivan, but conceded cultural change in the force was still needed.

Speaking to RTÉ’s Sean O’Rourke, the Tánaiste said she had confidence in Ms O’Sullivan. It follows questions about why two gardaí allegedly set out to undermine garda whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe, a matter which was raised following the O’Higgins inquiry into garda malpractice allegations, as previously revealed by the Irish Examiner.