Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach's response confirms why it would be impossible to have a non-partisan independent inquiry conducted by the Oireachtas. The use of the word "collusion" and his various other remarks all confirm how incapable the Taoiseach and those in his party will be of conducting an impartial inquiry. However, that is not the point. It would undoubtedly be partisan, as per the Taoiseach's comments, and it would not have the teeth to make adverse findings against people recorded in conversations that have shocked the nation. The least of the Taoiseach's troubles will be former members of the Government in coming before any inquiry. He should acknowledge that no member of the Government will refuse to go before any inquiry, be it an Oireachtas or any other type of inquiry. His real difficulty in respect of a parliamentary inquiry will be getting the likes of the people on the tapes or people like the former director of Anglo Irish Bank to participate and in the inquiry having the capacity to make an adverse finding about his behaviour, if so deserved. The bottom line is that as a result of the Abbeylara judgment, a parliamentary inquiry cannot hold such people to account. It will be very restrictive in terms of who it can hold to account. That might suit certain people - it might even suit the Taoiseach - to have the focus on one dimension, not on the fundamental banking issue.

I offer this suggestion in good faith. The Tribunals of Inquiry Bill 2005 is before the House. It results from proposals made by the Irish Law Reform Commission and was debated in the House before the general election. It is due to be taken on Report Stage. It proposes radical changes in how tribunals of inquiry are conducted in order to make them less costly, of shorter duration-----

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