The Minister of Justice, Mr Michael McDowell, has said he was "hugely disappointed and gravely surprised" at the events arising from this week’s miscarriage of justice case involving Donegal nightclub owner Mr Frank Shortt.
Mr McDowell conceded the case would undermine public confidence in the Garda Síochána. However he insisted "the overall judgement of the Garda by the Irish people would not be damaged seriously".
He said the vast majority of gardaí "uphold the law and constituency of this counry".
The Minister called on individual members of the gardaí "not to be demoralised by the affair and to stick to the high standards they have set themselves."
Garda Commissioner Mr Pat Byrne also said he was concerned and disappointed by the events surrounding the case but that he accepted fully the Court’s findings.
He said a full investigation into the matter had been launched in the last twenty four hours.
In the clearest indication yet that dismissals may be on the way, he said the future of certain people in the organisation would have to be considered.
The Court of Criminal Appeal ruled on Wednesday that two senior gardaí in the Shortt case had "consciously and deliberately" invented evidence, and then concealed this fact.
The two in question, Detective Noel McMahon and Superintendent Kevin Lennon, have been suspended from the force.
A third member of the force who was also involved, Garda Tina Fowley, was also put on suspension.
Mr Shortt served a three-year prison sentence for allegedly knowingly allowing his club - The Point Inn, Inishowen, Co Donegal - to be used for the sale of drugs. The conviction was quashed in November 2000.
