Varadkar: those with access to garda records must respect confidentiality

The Transport Minister Leo Varadkar has said that anyone with access to garda records needs to respect confidentiality and keep them private.

It follows questions in the Dáil about an incident involving the Justice Minister Alan Shatter and a breathalyser test in 2011.

Alan Shatter has admitted he was asked for a breath test at a routine checkpoint in 2008 or 2009, but failed to give it because he is asthmatic.

He told the gardaí at the time that he was on his way home from the Dáil and he had not been drinking, so he was waved on.

The Transport Minister Leo Varadkar said he is satisfied Alan Shatter has given a full account of what happened, but he said the number of garda incidents being leaked is concerning.

"I don't know how people get their hands on this information but there have been a number of incidents now whether its about deputy Wallace of deputy Daly before that and now Minister Shatter of what should be confidential information entering into the public domain," he said.

"People who have access to garda records really should treat them as though they were legal records or medical records and respect confidentiality."