Bobby Molloy has asked his Dáil colleagues to accept that he acted in good faith and without underhand motives when he made representations on behalf of Ann Naughten. The former junior minister said the Minister for Justice, John O'Donoghue, also acted properly and in good faith.
He said he regretted any distress caused to the victim in the case and he apologised for any embarrassment caused to Mr Justice O'Sullivan. Mr O'Donoghue told the Dáil the idea that a phone call to a judge is of itself improper is "manifestly ludicrous".
Mr O'Donoghue said he had never done anything either by commission or omission to interfere in the relationship between the executive and the judiciary.
Mr O'Donoghue criticised some members of the Opposition for implying such motives to him. Minister O'Donoghue insisted that the official who phoned Judge Philip O'Sullivan had no knowledge as to why his phone number was being sought by Mr Molloy's office.
He said the official had no knowledge of the representations relating to the case. He said that the Department of Justice deals with around 700 representations a year, the majority relating to court cases. Mr O'Donoghue said there was no reason for the representations from Deputy Molloy to stand out.
Mr O'Donoghue said he personally had absolutely no recollection of correspondence with Mr Molloy about the case and pointed out that such representations are made by Deputies on all sides of the House.
He strongly denied that he had released the correspondence with Mr Molloy because of a Freedom of Information request.
