Taoiseach Enda Kenny is being urged to apologise to Alan Shatter.

Mr Shatter won his High Court appeal yesterday, ruling that he should have been given a say in the Guerin report, set up to examine how he treated claims of corruption within the Gardai.

In his ruling, President of the Court of Appeal Mr Justice Sean Ryan said in his view Mr Guerin was obliged to observe the rules of natural justice and of letting the other side be heard.    

He said there was a breach of Mr Shatter's rights because of the defective procedure that was adopted.

Mr Shatter resigned as a result of the scandal.

Political Editor with The Irish Examiner Daniel McConnell said on Newstalk Breakfast that the whole issue reflects badly on the Taoiseach.

"His judgement on this particular issue has to be called into question," he said. "You'd argue that Shatter at the very start had expressed grave reservations about the tone of the report ... So the Taoiseach is certainly under fire."

 

In a statement following the ruling, Mr Shatter said the successful outcome is a huge relief to him.

He said the findings and conclusions of the report did enormous damage to his good name and reputation and cost him his position as Justice Minister and his Dáil seat.

The statement also goes on to thank the judges of the Court of Appeal, his legal team, his family and close friends.