The Tánaiste has issued a clear warning to the Justice Minister that there is no justification for privacy issues to be made public.

Eamon Gilmore issued the warning after being accused by the Fianna Fáil leader of giving Alan Shatter "carte blanche" to use private information about people. It follows the Justice Minister revealing on a TV programme last week that Wexford TD Mick Wallace had availed of Garda discretion in relation to penalty points.

In the Dáil this morning Micheál Martin said what Mr Shatter did was wrong and he was being backed up in this by Mr. Gilmore.

Initially Mr. Gilmore gave his full backing to Minister Shatter.

The Tánaiste said he accepted the explanation offered by Alan Shatter in the Dáil last night and insisted Mr Shatter apologised. But when pushed by Michéal Martin, Mr Gilmore did accept that the use of private information in the possession of the Gardai was not acceptable.

One of the TDs who led the charge on the penalty point issue was Clare Daly. And she told the Dáil that Mr Shatter's explanation was not acceptable.