Gary Gannon apologises to Alan Shatter over social media post linking him with Epstein

Shatter called for a retraction of the claims. His discontent was highlighted in letters to Gannon and Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns

Gary Gannon: 'On the 31st January I posted an image of a document on social media which I wrongly and mistakenly depicted as having been released with the Epstein files and as recording a meeting involving then Minister for Justice Alan Shatter.' File picture

A Social Democrats TD has issued an apology following a social media post falsely depicting a meeting between Jeffrey Epstein and then justice minister Alan Shatter.

Gary Gannon’s remarks prompted outrage from Mr Shatter, who duly called for a retraction of the claims. 

His discontent was highlighted in letters to Mr Gannon and Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns.

Mr Gannon on Friday evening issued a lengthy apology. 

He referred to the post which falsely linked Mr Shatter to the late, disgraced financier Epstein, who died in a New York prison cell on August 10, 2019, while facing sex trafficking charges.

"On the 31st January I posted an image of a document on social media which I wrongly and mistakenly depicted as having been released with the Epstein files and as recording a meeting involving then minister for justice Alan Shatter,” Mr Gannon said.

"The depiction was mistaken and untrue. Despite my subsequently deleting the post it continued to circulate as a screen shot on social media and both my original post and its screen shot resulted in Mr Alan Shatter being wrongly targeted, vilified and subject to antisemitic abuse. 

"I and the Social Democrats party unreservedly apologise to Mr Alan Shatter for all damage and hurt caused and ask that no further reliance be placed on my post and that there be an end to any repetition of the hurtful and abusive narratives it instigated. 

"I acknowledge that Alan Shatter never met or arranged to meet Mr Epstein nor had any relationship or contact with him. 

"The document I wrongly and mistakenly referenced derived from an online record of the travel diary of former US attorney general, Eric Holder.” 

Alan Shatter served as justice minister between 2011 and 2014. Picture: Stephen Collins

Mr Gannon, the Social Democrats' justice spokesperson, referenced damages to Shatter, a former Fine Gael TD who served as justice minister between 2011 and 2014.

He said: "The meeting recorded was an official government engagement in Dublin between then minister Shatter and attorney general Holder on the 21st September 2011 and has no connection of any nature to Mr Epstein. 

"I appreciate Alan Shatter agreeing to resolve this matter by the issuing of this statement and the payment of an agreed sum by way of damages.” 

Mr Gannon’s apology comes in the wake of the released of millions of new files linked to Epstein. 

Coordinated by the US Department of Justice, the so-called Epstein files contain some 3m pages, 180,000 images, and 2,000 videos. 

They were posted publicly in recent weeks.