A cabinet minister appears to have openly defied the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, by calling on the Garda Commissioner to withdraw comments about the Garda whistleblowers.

Education minister Ruairi Quinn says he agrees with his Labour colleagues in saying Martin Callinan should withdraw his comments describing the actions of the whistleblowers as 'disgusting'.

But his comments come only hours after Enda Kenny told ministers to stop making public comments about issues involving their colleagues.

Ruairi Quinn says it would be "helpful" if Martin Callinan withdrew his remarks about Maurice McCabe and John Wilson, joining three of his Labour cabinet colleagues.

The remarks aren't anything new - but the timing is crucial.

His statement this evening comes only hours after Enda Kenny told ministers they should raise their concerns at cabinet, instead of discussing them in the open.

The veteran education minister appears to be in defiance of those comments from the Taoiseach only a few hours ago.

His statement means four of Labour's five ministers now calling on the commissioner to withdraw the comments - and raises questions about the Taoiseach's authority over ministers from outside his own party.