Ex-minister of Fine Gael, Alan Shatter, is declaring his intent to run independently in the forthcoming general election. Shatter desires to return to Dublin-Rathdown’s parliament seat which he lost over eight years ago.
According to his election pamphlet, the decision to “put his hat in the ring” for the parliamentary run has been influenced by the significant encouragement he received from several constituents in South Dublin in recent months. He maintains that the national parliament requires politicians who are independent and able to candidly speak the truth, even in challenging situations.
Alan Shatter previously served as a TD for three decades before losing his position in the 2016 election. His ministerial post in the justice department under the Fine Gael-Labour Administration lasted from 2011 to 2014.
His resignation from the cabinet in 2014 followed the report by barrister Seán Guerin, hired by the government to scrutinise allegations by Garda whistleblower, Sgt Maurice McCabe, concerning police misconduct. Guerin’s report expressed doubts about the appropriateness of Shatter’s investigation into McCabe’s complaints as the justice minister, causing a loss of confidence from then Taoiseach, Enda Kenny. However, in 2016, the O’Higgins Commission confirmed that Shatter’s response to McCabe’s grievances while serving as minister had been fitting. This decision was further corroborated by a supreme court ruling in 2019, which annulled the findings of Guerin against Shatter.