Rabbitte: 'Corrib tape' comments 'unedifying'

The Energy Minister Pat Rabbitte has described reports of alleged garda misconduct at the Corrib gas pipeline in Mayo as "unedifying".

The Garda Ombudsman is to investigate the release of an unverified recording, during which gardaí are alleged to have joked about raping an anti-Shell protestor who had been arrested.

An internal Garda investigation into the matter is also underway.

Earlier the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre said that if the tape is authentic, the contents are "very serious indeed".

In the Dáil, Energy Minister Pat Rabbitte was questioned about the reports by Sinn Féin's Martin Ferris and said he (Minister Rabbitte) had no knowledge of the stories about the tape, but agreed the reported comments were "certainly unedifying".