Update 4.50pm: Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has said that he has confidence in the Garda Commissioner and is not “looking for her head”.
However, Deputy Martin said that Noirin O’Sullivan needs to explain her instructions to her legal team regarding its treatment of whistleblower Maurice McCabe.
Earlier, Tánaiste and Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald said that she expected the Commissioner to provide further details of her instructions, after lawyers told the O’Higgins Commission they planned to question his motives.
Deputy Martin says people could be forgiven for thinking there was a campaign to undermine Maurice McCabe’s credibility.
“I welcome the Commissioner’s remarks insofar as she has said that at no stage did she suggest he was ever malicious, that’s an important statement to make,” he said.
“Not withstanding that, it you piece all the pieces together, anybody who ever got involved in this case, rumours were circulating, people were nudging and saying ‘be careful’ and ‘do this’ and all of that.
“And I think that’s gone too far. That needs to stop.”
Earlier: Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald has come under further pressure in the Dáil to answer questions on how the Garda Commissioner directed her legal team in the O’Higgins inquiry writes Elaine Loughlin, Political Reporter.
During Leaders Questions in the Dáil this morning the Justice Minister was asked to leave the chamber to speak with the Noirin O’Sullivan and come back with answers after she was accused of avoiding questions on the investigation into garda malpractice.
Leaders of the three Opposition parties pressed Ms Fitzgerald on details which have emerged showing that the commissioner’s legal team said they were instructed to argue that Sgt Maurice McCabe was motivated by malice.
However, she claimed that these leaked transcripts are “illegal”.
Referencing today’s Irish Examiner, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said while the details had been leaked said “the bottom line is the transcripts are there for all to see”.
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He added that “we can’t live in some make-believe world” and pretend that they are not there, when they are out in the public realm.
>He asked the Minister if she could confirm whether she had a meeting with the Garda Commissioner or does she intend to have a meeting.
He added that the transcripts showed that Sgt McCabe had been treated in “hostile and adversarial manner”.
The Minister said she met with the Garda Commission on Monday and they had discussed “a number of issues”.
“Within the legal constraints she will say as much as possible in the future when she is questioned on these issues,” Ms Fitzgerald said.
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams questioned whether Ms Fitzgerald had asked the Garda Commissioner on the instructions she gave her legal team on Stg McCabe.
“There is no legal barrier on you answering these questions in fact you are obliged to do so,” he said.
“That’s very straight forward.”
He suggested that Ms Fitzgerald leave the chamber and return later today when she had spoken to the Garda Commissioner.
Labour’s Joan Burton called for answers and referring to the previous responses given by Ms Fitzgerald she gave the anecdote of former politician whose speaking papers bore a note on the bottom which read: “If pursued on this matter keep repeating the above.”
