THE MINISTER FOR JUSTICE ALAN SHATTER HAS CRITICISED SOME CORRIB PROTESTERS, CLAIMING THEY “EXPLOITED” THE RECENT CONTROVERSY OVER COMMENTS BY GARDAÍ.

HE ALSO REJECTED CALLS FOR AN INTERNATIONAL INQUIRY INTO THE POLICING OF THE CORRIB GAS PROJECT.

THE CONTROVERSY WAS SPARKED BY PUBLICATION OF TRANSCRIPTS OF A TAPE IN WHICH GARDAÍ WERE HEARD SPEAKING ABOUT RAPING A FEMALE PROTESTER WHO HAD BEEN ARRESTED.

SPEAKING YESTERDAY AT THE GARDA REPRESENTATIVE ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE IN WESTPORT, MINISTER SHATTER SAID THE REMARKS RELATING TO THE RAPE OF A FEMALE PROTESTER WERE “OFFENSIVE AND WRONG”.

BUT HE SAID GARDAÍ WERE PROVOKED AND ABUSED BY PROTESTERS WHO USED THE RELEASE OF THE TAPE FOR THEIR “OWN POLITICAL ENDS.