Alan Shatter says he had no choice but to sack the man responsible for hearing internal Garda complaints.

In a statement tonight the Minister for Justice says he had no option but to fire the Garda Confidential Recipient, Oliver Connolly, after the leak of a transcript of a conversation he held with a Garda whistleblower.

In the transcript, Mr Connolly tells the penalty points whistleblower Maurice McCabe that Minister Shatter would, quote, "go after him" if he felt his personal reputation was being threatened.

Minister Shatter says Mr Connolly had failed to deny the contents of the transcript, and that he had no other option but to relieve him of his duties.

The post was already due to be abolished under a reform of the Garda whistleblowing legislation, but will now be taken over on an interim basis by a retired High Court judge.