The Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has apologised to the Dáil and the Taoiseach for providing inaccurate information related to the handling of the Maurice McCabe controversy.

He also told the Dáil he is "horrified" that relevant documents, which were published yesterday, were not provided to the Charleton Tribunal.

"As minister I have repeatedly emphasised the vital importance of full cooperation by the department with the Tribunal. I have taken every opportunity to stress this within the department and it is an understatement to say I am bitterly disappointed by the events of recent weeks."

"The fact is, that in recent days it has been clear that information in the possession of journalists and members of the opposition has not been forthcoming to me as minister", he said

Minister Flanagan denied allowing the Taosieach to misinform the Dáíl, in relation to a crucial May 2015 e-mail that was sent to the former Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald.

He said he was informed of the e-mail on November 13th, but didn't ask what it contained.

Minister Flanagan told the Dáil that he was told about it in a conversation, during which the Secretary-General of the Department Tony Waters informed him he would be retiring.

"I was still digesting the news when reference was made to an e-mail pertaining to the O’Higgins Commission and Sergeant McCabe that had been discovered in the department.

"I responded automatically that anything potentially relevant to the tribunal should be immediately conveyed to Judge Charleton and the tribunal."

""I simply missed the significance of the e-mail, which I viewed as just another addition to the 230+ documents already discovered to the tribunal from the department."