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

It is a week since the departure of the former Garda Commissioner, Mr. Martin Callinan, following a visit to his home by the Secretary General of the Department of Justice and Equality in which he conveyed the Taoiseach's view that the issue of telephone recordings was very serious. The following morning the Commissioner resigned, retired or was, as is my view, forced out of office. Last Wednesday in the Dáil, the Minister for Justice and Equality stated he "was not briefed on the matter until approximately 6 p.m. on Monday, 24 March 2014 in the Department of Justice and Equality" and "was first furnished with the letter of 10 March from the Garda Commissioner yesterday at approximately 12.40 p.m." He confirmed that, following the briefing on Monday, 24 March, with officials in the Department "on this matter" - whatever "this matter" means, whether the letter or the entire issue - he met the Taoiseach and Attorney General to further discuss the matter. I understand they were joined at that Monday evening meeting by the Secretary General of the Department of Justice and Equality. I ask the Taoiseach to confirm if that is the case.

Reading the Minister's statements - I stand to be corrected in this regard - he does not state anywhere that he was not aware of the content of the letter. I would like this matter clarified. Was the Minister made aware at any stage, either before he left for Mexico or at any time before 12.40 p.m. on Tuesday, 25 March, of the content of the letter from the Garda Commissioner? It seems inconceivable that, in a meeting with departmental officials on Monday, 24 March, at which the Minister was briefed about this matter, the Secretary General or another official would not have raised with the Minister the fact that the Garda Commissioner had sent a letter two weeks earlier. Was the Minister aware of, or was he alerted on the evening of 24 March, as to the content of the letter? When he joined the Taoiseach, was the Taoiseach made aware of the fact that the Garda Commissioner had written a letter? Was the Taoiseach made aware of the content of the letter given that it was surely relevant to the discussion?

I ask the Taoiseach to answer these basic questions. Did the Secretary General join the Taoiseach, Attorney General and Minister for Justice and Equality on the Monday evening? Was the Minister made aware of the content of the letter from the Garda Commissioner at his departmental briefing on Monday, 24 March? Was the Taoiseach made aware of the letter at the subsequent meeting he attended with the other individuals in question?

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