IRELAND: The Garda Commissioner has strongly denied reports of a rift between himself and the Taoiseach over security breaches at Shannon Airport which resulted in attacks on US aircraft stationed there.
Mr Pat Byrne said there was "absolutely no basis" to a weekend newspaper report that Mr Ahern had a "furious row" with him over the alleged failure of the Garda on three occasions to protect US aircraft at the airport.
Asked yesterday whether there was a rift between himself and the Taoiseach over the incidents, Mr Byrne said: "You can take it from me there is absolutely no basis to it, no foundation to it.
"When I heard the Minister for Justice being asked the question yesterday \ to confirm it on Radio One, he said exactly the same thing."
The Sunday Independent had reported that Mr Ahern had rowed with the Garda Commissioner over the security breaches and had suggested that both the Taoiseach and the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, had directed Mr Byrne to travel to Shannon Airport.
The report also said the Minister for Justice had been angry about the incidents.
The commissioner said there was "no row" and he was not directed by anyone to go to the airport.