Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach. There was no insinuation. There was a direct accusation that the Commissioner told the Minister that Phil Hogan had a mobile phone to his ear, that she brought it to Cabinet and that it helped to end his career at the European Commission. If there is oversight that would prevent it happening in future then show me where it is and I will be happy to consider withdrawing the amendment. That is an abuse. That is political policing. It is policing in a manner that advances the political agenda of the Government of the day and not the security of the State or the security of its citizens.

The prosecution of anybody who is apprehended with a mobile phone to their ear would advance security but that was not what this was about. As I understand it, there was not even a prosecution. That is not what this was about. This was about political policing. Political policing is very dangerous. The possibility of political policing is even more dangerous, especially if it to be legislated for. If there is something that precludes this happening again then show me where it is. If it is removed, as I propose, the Commissioner can still tell the policing authority in the case of an emergency and it can tell the Minister straight away but there is a filter. It is to stop the Commissioner telling the Minister of the day useful tittle-tattle. If there is nothing to prevent this, and it happened recently and happened before that, it will continue to happen if we legislate for it. I have a problem with that. I want the Minister to tell me what prevents this from happening, other than that we should trust the people who are exactly the same characters. It is the same Minister for Justice, namely, Deputy McEntee. It is the same Garda Commissioner, namely, Drew Harris. Should we trust them now when we could not trust them before?

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