News that Garda confidential recipient Oliver Connolly had been “relieved of his duties” was announced by the Taoiseach in the Dáil yesterday.

A transcript of a conversation between Mr Connolly and Garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe was leaked to media and led to Mr Connolly being sacked.

The transcript showed that Mr Connolly warned Gda McCabe that the Minister for Justice Alan Shatter would "go after him".

Here’s a timeline of the events which led to Mr Connolly’s sacking:

Apr 30, 2007

A taxi woman, Mary Lynch (who spoke to Pat Kenny this morning), is violently assaulted in her cab in the early hours of the morning in Viginia, Co Cavan. She is from Kells in Co Meath and she had picked up a passenger, Jerry McGrath from a hotel in Meath. She was kicked and beaten by him but managed to press the green button on her phone which called the last dialled number, her husband. A squad car and her husband were out looking for her and found her and McGrath in Virginia, McGrath was arrested.

Apr 30, 2007

Jerry McGrath is bailed from Bailiboro for €300, no conditions. He was charged under Section 2 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against The Person Act. Minor Assault. The DPP would later say a more serious charge should have been pressed.

6 months after being bailed—Oct 9, 2007

Jerry McGrath breaks into a house in Tipperary and abducts a 5-year-old girl that was awoken by him breaking in. He is overpowered by the girls' father and held until Gardai arrive. He is arrested and held in Limerick Prison for 21 days. During this period (Oct 18th) the renewal of his bail for the Cavan assault comes up and it is renewed despite it being known that he is in Limerick Prison. Then on Oct 30th his bail comes up for the Tipperary abduction and he is granted bail despite the local Garda objection. The court in Clonmel is never told about the Cavan assault charge. The investigating Garda in Tipp says he called an unnamed Garda in a Cavan station and was told McGrath's charge was 'minor' for evading a taxi fare.

5 weeks after being bailed a second time—Dec 7th 2007

Jerry McGrath murders a mother of two in a hotel in Limerick. This is a very well known case as her body was found in the bath of the landmark Clarion Hotel. She was Silvia Roche Kelly and had met McGrath at a nightclub. CCTV in Limerick showed them walking to the hotel holding hands and then him leaving the hotel a few hours later. He fled the state but...

Jan 2009

Jerry McGrath got life in prison for the murder, a month later he got 10 years for the abduction.

June 2011

Minister Alan Shatter appoints solicitor Oliver Connolly to the part-time role of Garda confidential recipient. He had donated €1000 to Min. Shatter’s campaign during the 2011 General Election. Connolly owns Friary Law, the firm Shatter trained in as a mediator. Sergeant Maurice McCabe from Cavan seeks Connolly out and gives him a file on a number of alleged wrongdoings.

Feb 2012

Maurice McCabe meets Oliver Connolly and tapes the conversation. It started to emerge in Feb 2014 when TDs Niall Collins, Micheál Martin and Mick Wallace read parts into Dáil record.

This version is according to the transcript published online.

Connolly: “I’ll tell you something Maurice and this is just personal advice to you. If Shatter thinks your screwing him, you’re finished."

"If Shatter thinks it’s you, if he thinks or is told by the Commissioner or the Gardaí here’s this guy again trying another route trying to put pressure on, he’ll go after you.”

Sept 2012

TDs meet with whistle blowers including Garda Maurice McCabe. All the focus is on penalty point allegations. Min. Shatter is sent a report on penalty points.

May 2013

The long-awaited penalty points report is released. It rules out widespread corruption but does call for a number of Gardaí to face disciplinary action.

Jan 23rd 2014

The Garda Commissioner tells the Public Accounts Committee allegations raised by Garda whistleblowers against colleagues are "quite disgusting".

Feb 12th 2014

Garda Maurice McCabe meets the leader of Fianna Fail Micheál Martin TD and makes a number of allegations about Garda management in Cavan including the handling of Jerry McGrath.

Feb 19th 2014

Garda confidential recipient Oliver Connolly is sacked. Micheál Martin sends documents to the Taoiseach.