Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The office of the Garda confidential recipient was appointed after the Morris tribunal, which investigated serious wrongdoings within the Garda in Donegal. It was set up to hear complaints from members of An Garda Síochána and, above all, to protect the integrity of the force and to offer full protection to Garda whistleblowers.

I have read a transcript of a conversation between the Garda confidential recipient and the Garda whistleblower, Sergeant Maurice McCabe. It makes for serious and grave reading. The import of the transcript is such that the Garda whistleblower is frustrated and there is a sense of disbelief that his complaints are going nowhere. Clearly, the transcript reveals efforts, if not subtle threats, that if the material that the whistleblower had ever got to the media, the Minister, Deputy Shatter, would come after the whistleblower. This is a grave situation in a democracy, particularly given the office involved.

I will give the House some flavour. The confidential recipient told the whistleblower:

If stuff was to get out into the public, the print media, I tell you something Maurice - and this is just personal advice to you - if Shatter thinks you're screwing him, you're finished. What I'm saying to you is, if stuff is to get into print broadcasting media, if Shatter thinks it's you, or if he thinks that it is told by the Commissioner or the gardaí, here's this guy again trying another route to put you under pressure, he'll go after you.

There is more. Basically, the confidential recipient suggests in the transcript that maybe the Minister is too close to the Commissioner and that, as a result, he will not deal with some of the issues. The confidential recipient makes it clear that he knows the Minister. He states: "I know Alan." He was appointed and is a Fine Gael supporter, as he is entitled to be, and we know that he made a donation. However, the sensitivity of the office now calls into question whether that was an appropriate appointment. The confidential recipient told the whistleblower:

Your complaints went to the Department of justice and that annoyed the Commissioner greatly. I'm sure it's going to be an embarrassment for the gardaí, a disaster for them. And, listen, if your complaints are exposed to the print media, it will make him an angry man.

That is truly shocking. There is more in these transcripts.

Deputy Wallace was the first to raise this matter in the House last week. Bar last night, I have heard no denial of the content of the transcript. There is an aural recording of it and I have read the transcript. Has the Taoiseach spoken to the Minister, Deputy Shatter, since this was first revealed last week? Has the Minister spoken to the confidential recipient about this exchange? Is the Taoiseach concerned? It seems that the confidential recipient was protecting the Minister, the Department and the Commissioner, but not the whistleblower. This is the sense that I take from it. Is the position of the confidential recipient now tenable, given what has been revealed via these transcripts?

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