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FIANNA FÁIL LEADER Micheál Martin said that it is “inconceviable” Justice Minister Alan Shatter was not briefed by members of his department on a letter sent to him by former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan on phone tapping in Garda stations.
During Leaders’ Questions, Martin added that it is “somewhat incredible and very difficult to comprehend” that Shatter was not made aware of the letter until last Tuesday, given the fact he met with the Taoiseach, the Attorney General and the General Secretaries of the Departments of the Taoiseach and Justice the day before.
Enda Kenny said he was “assured by the Minister of Justice that he was not so briefed [on the letter] … There was no discussion about the letter or about its contents at that meeting [on Monday, March 24]“.
Martin referred to section 41 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 where it states that the Garda Commissioner of the day “shall keep the Minister and the Secretary General of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform fully informed of … significant developments”.
He added: “It’s not the kind of letter the Minister gets every week.”
Martin also queried when Kenny informed Eamon Gilmore of the situation, asking: “Where is the Tánaiste in all of this?”
Kenny confirmed that he did not call Gilmore to bring him up to speed until the morning of Tuesday, March 25.
Kenny said that “the letter is now in the public domain … so that everybody can read [it].”
Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams stated that the government had dealt with recent issues with “amazing inefficiency” and said Shatter’s handling of the various controversies relating to the Garda Síochána “marks him out as unsuitable for office”.
He said that the government, the former commissioner and GSOC “are all working against each other”.
Kenny admitted that “very serious” matters had come to light following the revelation that Garda phone calls to two witnesses in the Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder investigation were recorded. Ian Bailey claims that Gardaí tried to frame him for the murder.
He noted that the number of Garda phone recordings “seem to be growing”, adding that the Irish Prison Service has informed the Minister for Justice that conversations between dozens of prisoners and their solicitors were “inadvertently recorded”.
He said that the Prison Service became aware last Wednesday, 26 March, that there was “an anomaly” whereby 84 prisoners who “had more than one solicitor in the system” had conversations with their solicitors taped.
Kenny said he has asked Shatter to get a report from the Prison Service on “how this happened”.
Why was Martin not aware of taping given this had been going on for decades, and so whilst he was in Government?
You mean to say that Shatter stills has the audacity to stay in Office and that An Taoiseach hasn’t fired him !
Is there a reason ? Does he have something on Enda too – like he had on a number of other TD’s ? – or maybe he thought he did !
It’s comedic at this stage – but it is no longer amusing to anyone on the Island of Ireland – we are the laughing stock all round at this stage !
Correct me if I’m wrong here….but didn’t the recordings start when FF were in power??
If so, was the then minister for justice aware of the recordings?
I know the attention us pointing towards Shatter…but who implemented the process in the first place? That’s the real issue here
Exactly. FF would like us to believe that the rot set in the day FG took office, but anyone who isn’t Seanie can see right through that. This culture of corruption and cronyism in the police force was fostered by FF, who were indulging in corruption and cronyism of their own at the time.
The hypocrisy of FF is sickening. That people believe a word that comes from the party is tragic.
From 81 to 87 fine Gael were steering the ship, save for a few months in 82. So it’s a strong possibility they were involved in the establishment of phone recording, currently elected ministers were TD’s then too…..
The key difference is that a FF Minister for Justice was never informed about it. So how could they act on sonething they did not know was happening.
And Fianna Fail were in government from 1987 until 2011 save for two and a half years in the mid ’90s. And they have history when iy comes to bugging!
I thought they started under Noonan in 1984.
Seanie it seems “somewhat incredible and very difficult to comprehend” that the FF Minister for Justice was never informed about it. These were substantial operations, started under Fianna Fail, in budgets signed off by Fianna Fail Departments, no doubt with recorders supplied by Fianna Fail friends and family at a fat mark-up to retail price.
Micheal Martin really is a hypocritic slimeball
Remember the phone tapping scandal of ’82, Seanie? Sean ‘the doc’ Doherty sure knew what was going on. As did Haughey, corrupt gombeen that he was. Your insidious party knows all about phone tapping.
There is no proof that anyone in FF knew what was going on or approved of it at any stage.
If you can’t prove it then you should shut your trap and focus on what we see coming out.
If clear proof comes out then I’ll be the first to condemn any past Minister involved.
Will you condemn Doherty and Haughey? It’s unequivocal fact that they knew what was going on in the early ’80s.
I think there is enough going on at the moment without raking through the ashes of the 1980′s. Doherty resigned from FF under pressure after it came out. There is no reason to believe that Haughey knew.
Seanie there are many things Fianna Fail were responsible for and profited personally from, the proof of which has long been destroyed.
Michael Martin should take your advice and cease asking innuendo-laden questions if he has no proof either. Fianna Fail can’t have it both ways. It is easily proven that the recording system originated 30 years prior to this Government; perhaps it was an immaculate conception and the devices just came into being. It seems more likely Fianna Fail approved them though, doesn’t it?
Are you serious? Do you not know why Haughey resigned, in disgrace, in ’92? Because Doherty publicly stated that he had informed Haughey, personally, about the phone tapping in the early ’80s. You haven’t a clue what you’re talking about, mate.
Better start condemning, unless you want to seen as a hypocrite.
if you check back you will also find that one Michael Noonan was minister for justice the same Michael Noonan who was wheeled out to discuss this with miriam o callaghan on prime time when this story broke last week…funny miriam did not feel it necessary to ask noonan was he aware of this when he was justice minister…
Fianna Fail’s argument is that all Ministers for Justice prior to Shatter have an amnesty; that also covers Noonan presumably. Shatter has to take all the blame, it’s what the people want.
I was three at the time, how is it relevant to me.
FF are as guilty as a puppy sitting next to a pile of poo
Sean, it is relevant to you because that’s how long the bugging/tapping/recording has being going on.
You can’t on the one hand cry foul and ask for the head of the minister, and then on the other hand claim ignorance and infantilism as excuses for your less than even-handed outlook.
Seanie – you dig the FF hole even deeper for yourself constantly – you must have extremely mucky clothes on you at this stage ?
The phone tapping was implemented when the provisional IRA were active. The reason for this was they could record somebody ringing up to warn if there was a bombing going to take place.
I see Enda is going to chair this new committee to review the recordings. Looks like Enda has already voted no confidence in Shatter.
The Cabinet sub-committee is involved in reviewing the legislation to set up a new civilian Garda monitoring body, which is being fast tracked following recent events. The Committee has nothing to do with reviewing the recordings. That investigation will be carried out by the Supreme Court judge appointed today.
You may have your opinions Kerry, but you can’t have the facts.
The statisticians that measure corruption in governments may want to revise them. Our lot are up there with worst of them.
Fine gaels credibility is decimated at this stage,and will only get worse.The die is cast and theres nothing left for the drowning rats to cling on to.
Caretaker gov then elections it’s the only way who in their right mind would believe this lot
and with all parties aware of what was happening since the 80s its funny not one party in govt or opposition called halt or asked questions of the justice minister of the day….then along comes a couple of independent deputies and 2 brave whistleblowers who despite shatter actions and in the case of the whistleblowers not one single ounce of support from the GRA eventually opened up this can of worms….
list of ministers for justice is a whose who of party heavy weights, including mcdowell,mitchell,geoghan quinn,noonan, lenihan jrn,noonan and we had ff/pd govts,ff/lab fg/lab, fg rainbow coalition,ff/greens the whole lot of them were aware what was going on….
What a waster Martin is. As much credibility as US state dept official. Man couldn’t lie straight in bed. Seems shatter proven right. As much as I don’t want it to be true.
Same sh1t different day!
Martin – all these phone tapping happened under fianna fails watch
I realise Micheál is not the brightest, but I doubt he actually said “inconceviable”.
Your quotes, not mine. Christ.
I’m no Fine Gael cheerleader but, in all fairness, same question could be asked of 9 Fianna Fáil Justice ministers (excluding Brian Lenihan Jnr), 4 Fine Gael and 1 PD over the past 30 years. When it comes to Finance and Justice, the point scoring attempts by here by Fianna Fáil is a little bit pathetic. Do they think the people of this country are goldfish?!!!
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