Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

A list of issues has emerged in recent times. The penalty points issue involved the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. We are familiar with the whistleblower tapes. The source of the information that the Minister, Deputy Shatter, had on Deputy Wallace was very suspicious. Issues have emerged regarding the Secretary General of the Department of Justice and Equality, the Attorney General and the departure of Commissioner Callinan. A series of questions have been asked about who said what to whom and when they said it. The whole issue of justice being delayed and denied to individuals and families, who were seriously let down by this country's lack of a fair, objective and transparent system of justice, is a far more important one.

I would like to point out that these issues did not appear overnight or during the reign of the current Minister. They are part of an unfair and unjust system that has been allowed to fester under successive Governments. As far as I am concerned, a vote of no confidence in the Minister should also be a vote of no confidence in the system we have had in this country for many years. Successive justice Ministers, including the Minister, Deputy Shatter, have questions to answer. An article by Fiach Kelly in The Irish Times this week reminded me that in 2006, the late Tony Gregory asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Michael McDowell, a parliamentary question about "the recording of all telephone calls to Garda stations". The then Minister said in his replay that he was "not aware of any plans to record all telephone calls to Garda stations". The Minister, Deputy Shatter, has said that recordings have taken place for 30 years.

I want to acknowledge the work of Deputies Clare Daly and Mick Wallace. Without them, there would have been no exposure of these injustices. I missed much of this debate because I was at a community meeting, but I presume their role was acknowledged. If they had not brought these matters into the public domain, we would not have had the initiatives that were outlined this evening. A couple of weeks ago, Deputies Daly and Wallace invited all Members of the Oireachtas to attend a presentation given by Ian Bailey and his partner. They had an opportunity to present their story to everyone here. The level of interest that Members showed in the presentation, which was horrifying and disturbing, can be judged by examining how many of them were in attendance. Apart from Deputies Daly and Wallace, Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan and I were the only two people to show up. I think there is a whole issue to be explored regarding the secrecy and undercover practices associated with this country's system.

I would like to conclude by pointing out that the constituency I represent, Dublin Cental, once had a fractured and difficult relationship with the Garda Síochána. Twenty years of really serious community policing and work by community activists restored the community's good working relationship with the force. When this relationship of trust was built up, people had enough confidence in the Garda to allow them to make calls to Garda stations. That has been undermined now. I do not think this motion of no confidence will make a blind bit of difference. It is more important for us to reform the system because it is not fit for purpose.

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