Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Independent)
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178. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality when and how he received the letter which the then Garda Commissioner sent to his Department on 10 March 2014; where the letter was in the interim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15874/14]

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Independent)
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179. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he attended the meeting on 24 March 2014 with the Taoiseach and the Secretary General of his Department; the persons at that meeting; the instruction if any and by whom was given to the Secretary General of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15875/14]

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Independent)
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180. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the contact, if any, and the number of occasions of such contact with the Secretary General of his Department when he was on the official St. Patrick's Day visit to Mexico; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15876/14]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 178 to 180, inclusive, together.

As I have previously informed the House the letter was furnished to me by officials at approximately 12.40 pm on 25 March, 2014. The letter was in the possession of my Department since its receipt.

On the evening of 24 March, 2014 I attended a meeting with An Taoiseach, the Attorney General and the Secretary General of the Department of An Taoiseach. We were joined for part of the meeting by the Secretary General of my Department. An Taoiseach requested the Secretary General of my Department to have discussions with the Garda Commissioner in the context of the grave concern which had arisen in relation to the recording of phone-calls at Garda stations.

There was no contact between the Secretary General and myself while I was on a recent visit to Mexico, other than to express my condolences to him on a family bereavement.