Latest: I retain confidence in the Garda Commissioner, says Taoiseach

LATEST: The Taoiseach has again given his backing to the Garda Commissioner.

Latest: I retain confidence in the Garda Commissioner, says Taoiseach

Update 12.33pm: The Taoiseach has again given his backing to the Garda Commissioner.

There is now mounting pressure on Noirín O'Sullivan after a hardening of the stance of Fianna Fáil towards her.

The party's front bench says she has not answered questions about recent Garda scandals and may put down a motion of no confidence next week.

Enda Kenny told Labour's Brendan Howlin that Noirín O'Sullivan is the best person to lead reform and change in the force.

“In respect of confidence in the Commissioner, I retain confidence in the Commissioner, to see that the changes here, recommended independently are being rolled out and being timelined, in the same as we do in the area of education and jobs and so on,” he said.

Earlier, Health Minister Simon Harris warned against playing politics with the future of the Garda Commissioner.

Minister Harris said he was dizzy from trying to keep up with all the positions Fianna Fáil have held on the issue.

“I think it would be important that she consults with the Opposition as the Cabinet has mandated her to do,” he said.

He added: “So I hope that people don’t play politics with this. I think points-scoring, flip-flopping, is not in the interests of policing and security.”

Earlier:

Fianna Fáil have said that they would remove the Garda Commissioner from office, if they were in government.

It comes amid reports that the party is considering tabling a motion of no confidence in Garda management next week.

According to the Irish Times, a front bench meeting yesterday saw the party take a harder stance on Noirín O'Sullivan's future, following her appearance at an Oireachtas committee hearing last week.

Deputy Sean Fleming outlined his party's position this morning.

"Fianna Fáil have actually been very firm in its opinion on this," he said.

"We've actually made it clear through our own front-bench spokesman Jim O'Callaghan, and the legal responsibility to remove a Commissioner is the responsibility of the Government and the Minister of Justice,"

"We have said that if Fianna Fáil was in Government, we would remove her from office."

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