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3 September 2015

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Fennelly Report: Labour and Attorney General at odds with each other

Former Labour leader Eamon Gilmore

STATEMENTS given to the Fennelly Commission by Attorney General Máire Whelan and former Taoiseach Eamon Gilmore contradict each other and raise serious questions for both and the Taoiseach, says Sinn Féin TD Peadar Tóibín.

The Fennelly Report, which looks into the dramatic resignation of former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan last year, found that the catalyst for his resignation was when Taoiseach Enda Kenny dispatched the head of the Justice Department Brian Purcell to his home following the revelations of widespread illegal taping of phone-calls in and out of Garda stations by An Garda Síochána.

The statement by former Labour leader and Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore appears to contradict the version of events offered by the Attorney General, a point accepted by the Commission.

Sinn Féin TD Peadar Tóibín (pictured) said:Peadar Tóibín 2015

“Over the past number of days the Labour leadership have rushed to defend both the Taoiseach and the Attorney General notwithstanding the serious questions arising from the Fennelly Commission."

Peadar Tóibín says a statement by Gilmore to the Commission is at odds with one by the Attorney General:

“The report details the consistent denial by the Attorney General that the Taoiseach discussed the issue of confidence in the Garda Commissioner at the Monday night meeting when Mr Purcell was dispatched to the Commissioner's home. This denial is not supported by the statements of three other people present at the same meeting," he said.

“It also contradicts the statement by the former Tánaiste Eamonn Gilmore in giving his evidence relating to the following day when the Taoiseach raised the issue of not being in the position to express his confidence in the Garda Commissioner," he added.

The report notes that Gilmore's statement "provides significant corroboration for the proposition that the Taoiseach did express doubts about whether he could continue to express confidence in the Commissioner".

“The continued denial by the Attorney General renders her position untenable," Peadar Tóibín said.

Sinn Féin has tabled a motion of no confidence in both the Taoiseach and Attorney General.

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