The confidential recipient appointed to receive complaints from members of the Gardaí has been sacked.

Oliver Connolly was dismissed by the Minister for Justice after the release of a full transcript of a conversation he held with a Garda whistleblower.

The sensational move heaps further pressure on Minister Alan Shatter, who appointed his former political donor to the position less than three years ago.

It will raise further questions about the minister's handling of the penalty points controversy - at a time when he is under major pressure on his handling of the Garda Ombudsman bugging allegations.

Our political correspondent Gavan Reilly reports: