O’Donoghue defends actions in relation to Naughton rape case

Justice Minister John O’Donoghue has told the Dail that he did nothing wrong in relation to the Patrick Naughton rape case, which led to the resignation of Junior Minister Bobby Molloy last week.

"I have nothing to hide,” he said.

"I conducted myself with the utmost integrity and propriety at all stages.

"I wish to state categorically that the false and baseless charges that have been laid against me by members of this house, charges of attempting to interfere with the judiciary, of collusion in some kind of conspiracy and of deliberate concealment of the facts, are not only false, but the deputies opposite know them to be false."

Mr Molloy also returned to the Dail today to defend Mr O’Donoghue’s role in the affair.

"I want to assure this House that at no time did I have any personal contact with the Minister for Justice, John O’Donoghue, whose conduct in this matter was and is above reproach," he said.

However, Fine Gael’s justice spokesman, Alan Shatter, was not impressed by the performance.

"I don’t believe it’s credible that these two ministers, who sat in cabinet together, didn’t on a single occasion exchange words about this issue," he said.

"And if they didn’t, it says something about the manner in which this Government works."