Independent barrister set to oversee Department of Justice email probe

An independent barrister is likely to be appointed, potentially as soon as this weekend, to oversee an external inquiry into why the Department of Justice failed to hand over key Maurice McCabe email files to the Charleton Tribunal.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar confirmed the move after concerns were raised over initial plans to ask the Department of the Taoiseach’s secretary general Martin Fraser to lead the probe.

In an initial statement to the Dáil as he announced Frances Fitzgerald’s resignation as tánaiste on Tuesday, Mr Varadkar said he was setting up an “external” inquiry into the “dysfunctional” Department of Justice with immediate effect.