Report to find that Shatter broke law with comments on Mick Wallace
The Data Protection Commissioner is set to find that the Minister for Justice Alan Shatter broke the law by making public comments about another TD’s encounter with Gardaí.
A report to be issued this week will find that Mr Shatter breached data protection law when making the comments about independent TD Mick Wallace.
The report comes as the Government prepares to receive two major reports which could mean further difficulties for the minister.
Last year, Mick Wallace made an official complaint to the Data Protection Commissioner, after Mr Shatter revealed he had been cautioned by Gardaí in Dublin for using his mobile phone while driving.
Today’s Sunday Independent says the Commissioner will rule on that complaint this week, and will find that Mr Shatter did break data protection laws in discussing the issues on RTE’s Prime Time.
The minister says he was given the information by the former Garda commissioner Martin Callinan, and claims Mr Callinan had a legal duty to keep him informed.
The finding could leave the minister open to legal action by Deputy Wallace, but more importantly it could also leave further question marks over Minister Shatter’s position.
The report could hardly come at a worse time for the Minister, who will once again be in the spotlight this week.
The Government is expecting two independent reports - over alleged bugging of the Garda Ombudsman, and of mishandled allegations of Garda corruption - in the coming days.
