The Tánaiste and justice minister says she does not think the Garda Commissioner needs to step aside while whistleblower claims are investigated.

Frances Fitzgerald has told the Dáil that Noirín O'Sullivan also has her full support and confidence.

In the Dail she not only said O'Sullivan was deserving of support, but said there were too many serious policing issues in the country at present - and the force could not be without its head:

TDs are this afternoon debating the terms of reference for the Charleton Commission of Investigation into the alleged smearing of whistleblowers.

However one party is already suggesting that a SECOND Commission of Investigation might be needed to discover alleged mistreatment of other whistleblowers.

Sinn Féin says that while it supports a focused Commission into the alleged mistreatment of Sgt Maurice McCabe and Supt David Taylor, there are other whistleblowers whose treatment should also be investigated.

Meanwhile the Labour leader Brendan Howlin has been on the defensive about bringing allegations to the Dáil, around the nature of O'Sullivan's alleged smear campaign, which he admits he did not fact-check.

He says he accepted the allegations in good faith and accepts the bona fides of the journalist who brought them to him.

He has also told the Dáil this afternoon that Maurice McCabe is thankful to him for raising the nature of the smear campaign against him in the chamber yesterday afternoon:

Howlin is among the leaders who says O'Sullivan cannot be allowed to remain in place for the duration of Charleton's new inquiry.

Our political correspondent Gavan Reilly filed this report for Today FM's National Lunchtime News: