Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy has been here a long time and I am sure he has see a lot of abuse.

I did not think information should be provided willy-nilly. There is information that should be provided, and that is set out clearly. What the amendment does is remove any other matters that in the Commissioner's opinion should be brought to the Minister's attention. I asked the stand-in Minister for Justice whether he thought the infidelities of a Minister's spouse or partner should be brought to the Minister's attention if it came to the Commissioner's attention. There was a time in Ireland that it would not have made the media but it would now, and it certainly would in Britain. We have seen ministerial careers end for something like this. I do not think they should end, and I do not think it is anybody's business, but they do end. Is this information the Garda Commissioner should pass on? I am not suggesting that any Cabinet Minister or anybody's spouse or partner is being unfaithful. I am saying this is the kind of information that could be passed on because it is so broad that it is open to abuse and it has been abused.

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