A cabinet minister has dismissed a motion of no confidence in Alan Shatter as "knee-jerk".

But Fianna Fáil says its motion, which is being debated in the Dáíl this evening, will force the government to take responsibility for the crisis over the Garda Tapes affair.

Meanwhile the party says it's also trying a little-known procedure to force the Attorney General to take questions in the Seanad.

Our political correspondent Gavan Reilly reports.