Former Minister of State Mr Bobby Molloy was told last year by the Minister for Justice that it would be inappropriate for him to comment on the case of Patrick Naughton, who was facing rape charges at the time.
A statement from Mr O'Donoghue today says Mr Molloy wrote to him on March 13th 2001 enclosing a letter from the sister of the accused concerning the case. This is over a year before an official in Mr Molloy's office contacted Mr Justice Philip O'Sullivan to see if the judge had received another letter from the woman.
Mr O'Donoghue says he wrote back to Mr Molloy on April 30th, 2001 saying it would be inappropriate for him to comment.
"It appears that the issues raised relate to an ongoing court case. You will appreciate that, as the courts are, subject only to the Constitution and the law, independent in the exercise of their judicial functions, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on the matter," the letter stated.
Mr O'Donoghue's statement goes on to say that another letter was received by the Department of Justice from Mr Molloy on January 31st, 2002 again enclosing a letter from the sister of the accused in which she asked whether she could have the date on which her brother's court appeal would be heard.
The Department then sent a query to the Courts Service, which said it was having difficulty tracing the case and had pursued it with Ms Naughton to no avail.
