Ireland Justice Minister Alan Shatter steps down

The Irish justice minister announced on Wednesday that he would be stepping down amidst Garda corruption claims.

Alan Shatter submitted his resignation letter to prime minister Enda Kenny after a whistleblower claimed that there was corruption within the Garda and that there was political interference as well, reports The Guardian. The 300-page report on the Garda corruption claims is due to be released on Friday.

In Shatter's resignation letter, published by the Irish Times, he writes to the taoiseach saying he doesn't wish the report to be a distraction "from the important work of government or create any difficulties for the Fine Gael or Labour parties in the period leading into the ... elections."

He noted that, "It has been a particular privilege to serve as both minister for justice and equality and also minister for defence."

The whistleblower, John Wilson, spoke with RTE's Prime Time and said Shatter's resignation was the right move as his position had "become untenable," according to The Independent.

Shatter's successor will be nominated on Thursday morning and it is believed to likely be either Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald or Transport Minister Leo Varadkar.

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