Department of Justice review over whistleblower emails deferred

A review of the Department of Justice following the Garda whistleblower email scandal will not take place before the end of the year despite a previous pledge by the Taoiseach.

The Government said a barrister has been chosen to look into why the department failed to forward emails concerning Sgt Maurice McCabe to a tribunal. The fiasco, which showed the department and officials knew about a Garda strategy to discredit Sgt McCabe, resulted recently in the resignation of then tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald.

A snap general election was nearly triggered as a result of the scandal.