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

The Garda Commissioner is entitled to brief the Minister on serious issues but he or she is also entitled to expect that he will treat such information sensitively, properly and confidentially and that he will not seek to politicise the information given to him by the Commissioner in a political debate to undermine a political opponent. Can the Commissioner trust the Minister again with sensitive information about anybody or any issue?

The Minister of State at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Sherlock, the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Alan Kelly, Deputy Phelan and others have made it clear that they have concerns about how the Minister has handled this issue. The Tánaiste said there were issues to be looked at.

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