Answers, so far, not good enough, Frances

FRANCES Fitzgerald might think her explanation of the email controversy relating to the targeting of Garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe is sufficient, but she is very much mistaken.

The Tánaiste, who was Justice Minister at the time, said she forgot about the email because, to her, it made clear she had no role in the strategy being pursued by the Garda Síochána.

But as Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin yesterday pointed out, she had by that stage met Sgt McCabe’s family and knew of the trauma caused by the smear campaign against him. That should have set alarm bells ringing.

And even if we take her at face value, it seems strange that any detail of such a high-profile and controversial case would escape her attention, to the point where she would end up misleading the Taoiseach by claiming that the first time she became aware of the email was when it entered the public domain.

Even more troubling is the fact that – as the minister who should have been encouraging whistleblowers and protecting them when they highlighted inadequacy, corruption and even criminality within the force – she did not intervene when she learned of a plan to deliberately undermine Sgt McCabe’s integrity. What reassurance does this give to future whistleblowers who will wonder what sort of protection they will receive?

The answer is none, and the country will be the poorer for that.

In the meantime, there are still questions remaining about what the Tánaiste knew, and when. She needs to appear before the Dáil again and have another go at explaining her role in a murky affair, no matter whether it was active or merely negligent.