Latest: Fitzgerald could not have tried to stop legal strategy to discredit Maurice McCabe, says Justice Department chief

Latest: A spokesperson for the Department of Justice has today insisted the former Tánaiste could not do anything about the Garda legal strategy to discredit Maurice McCabe.

Update 10.14am: The Department of Justice insist the former Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald could not do anything about the Garda legal strategy to discredit Maurice McCabe.

Acting Secretary General of the Department Oonagh McPhillips said that Ms Fitzgerald could have convened her senior officials to query the strategy at the O'Higgins Commission.