7 May 2014
Alan Shatter's resignation as Justice Minister ‘long overdue’, says Sinn Féin’s Pádraig Mac Lochlainn
An Phoblacht's front page in March this year
‘Our party has twice voted no confidence in Minister Alan Shatter in Dáil votes in the last year’
THE RESIGNATION of Alan Shatter as Justice Minister – the day after the Taoiseach and Tánaiste had expressed confidence him was “long overdue”, Sinn Féin Justice spokesperson Pádraig Mac Lochlainn TD said.
Alan Shatter tendered his resignation on Wednesday afternoon following receipt of the report of Seán Guerin SC into allegations of Garda malpractice made by whistleblower Garda Sergeant Maurice McCabe.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny said the 300-page Guerin report will be published on Friday morning.
Sinn Féin’s Pádraig Mac Lochlainn said the lessons of the Justice Minister’s tenure must be learned by the Government.
Deputy Mac Lochlainn said:
“Our party has twice voted no confidence in Minister Alan Shatter in Dáil votes in the last year and we believe that his resignation is long overdue.
“However, Minister Shatter's resignation is only the start of what needs to be done. The crisis in public confidence in the administration of justice must be urgently addressed by this Government and by the incoming Justice Minister.
“We need to see the implementation of a new independent policing authority accountable to an independent policing board, the Oireachtas and to local Joint Policing Committees.
“Furthermore, the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission needs to be given more powers to effectively carry out its important work.
“And we need a new Justice Minister that demonstrates humility and listens to the opinions and expertise of all stakeholders.”