The Public Expenditure Minister is defending a delay in signing legislation that allowed Alan Shatter avail of a severance payment.

Brendan Howlin has addressed the Dáil for the first time on the issue of the legislation banning severance payments - signed by the President in early April.

But it was not commenced by Brendan Howlin until after the former Justice Minister resigned.

Mr. Shatter took the payment despite political pressure on him not to and donated it to charity.

He said last month that he contacted the 'Jack and Jill founder', Jonathan Irwin to discuss his plan.

Upon the announcement, the Taoiseach Enda Kenny  said "nobody could complain" about who will benefit from his severance payment, after previously calling on his colleague to "do the right thing" and return the payments.

Minister Howlin says he signalled his intentions not to bring the act into force until July will all parties, and no objection came from Fianna Fáil.