Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail)

On behalf of my group, my leader has asked me to express our sympathies with the devastated people of Toulouse.

I endorse my leader's call for the Minister, Deputy Hogan, to attend the House to discuss the mess that is being made of the household charge. I expect that the Minister will attend when a debate on the Mahon tribunal is scheduled. In this light and given that today is the first anniversary of the Moriarty tribunal's report, we need a follow-up debate. I accept that it would be subsequent to the Mahon debate. I am not trying to run away from the issues that might arise from it. I am sure that plenty will for our party in particular, but also for other parties.

In the week that the Taoiseach is in New York with many people, including Mr. Denis O'Brien, and when Fine Gael is proposing the sale of State assets, something with which the Labour Party is going along, it is important that we reflect in due course on the findings of the Moriarty tribunal. There was a debate in the House prior to the last Seanad election. The report was published while I was on the Seanad election trail, but we have not had a full and proper debate on the tribunal. I am giving advance notice that we will have a debate in due course after other matters have been addressed. I hope that my group will endorse my call. We can examine the judge's findings and what has occurred in the meantime, although little has. All sorts of shock and anger were expressed during the Dáil's debate. Shock and anger will undoubtedly be expressed by all sides in respect of the Mahon tribunal. It is important that we in public life learn lessons from both tribunals and make the necessary changes to ensure that State assets are protected and nothing of the sort ever happens again.