GARDAÍ WILL “FULLY address” any issues arising out of the Fennelly Commission, the Garda Commissioner said today.

Noirín O’Sullivan was asked about the interim report at the Ploughing Championships in Co Laois today – in particular revelations that her former boss Martin Callinan shredded up to 10 bags of papers on the day he retired.

The report, published at the start of the month, revealed that on the day he resigned as commissioner last year Callinan filled eight to 10 black bin bags with personal papers and asked a subordinate to dispose of them.

The papers were later shredded and, according to the Fennelly Commission, may have included the commissioner’s diary for 2013.

The Commission said it was also unable to locate all of the data from the official garda mobile phone used by Callinan. The former commissioner was initially unable to find the phone before supplying it to the commission.

Speaking in the days after the report’s release, Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald said that “… it would have been helpful if they were available, quite clearly”.

I do agree, we do need to examine that. The gardaí will be looking at the Fennelly report and certainly I do need to see what the practice is and we do need to examine it.”

Asked this morning whether gardaí would be investigating the disposal of material by Callinan, here’s what Commissioner O’Sullivan had to say:

“The interim report – and I think it’s important that we point out that it’s an interim report of the Fennelly Commission – I’m very conscious that the Commission continues its work and obviously we are fully cooperating and facilitating the Commission in their ongoing work.

“But the interim report is being examined and any issues identified in in will be fully addressed.”