A Labour Minister says it "would have been better" if the Taoiseach met the former Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore before a civil servant was sent to Martin Callinan's house.

Enda Kenny is facing a motion of no confidence over the Fennelly Commission report - which says he didn't sack the Garda Commissioner - but that Mr Callinan's departure was triggered by a visit from a civil servant acting on his behalf.

Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast, Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin defended Enda Kenny and insisted the former commissioner resigned of his own volition, and says it "was not the intention of the Taoiseach to pressure him to resign."

However, he said Enda Kenny should have kept Eamon Gilmore in the loop.

Given the controversy surrounding the possible bugging of GSOC offices and Callinan calling whistleblower's "disraceful" while in front of the Public Accounts Committee, Howlin believes it was correct to send the Secretary General of the Department of Justice to his home.

"I think it was reasonable in those circumstances for the Taoiseach to alert the former commissioner of this real concern and the eroding over time of these matter and his confidence in him."

He also said it was not unusual that the meeting which preceded the visit to Callinan's home was not recorded: "When ministers discuss issues, as happens a few times a day, notes are not necessarily taken."

Howlin also said Labour remain completely behind the Attorney General, and described any suggestion otherwise as "pure mischief." Máire Whelan has been criticised for not bringing concerns about possible illegal taping of phone calls at garda stations across the country to former Justice Minister Alan Shatter.

"Nothing in this report that does anything other than enhance our regard for the Attorney General," he said.

"There's no question of anybody being thrown under the bus."