David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I second Senator Feargal Quinn's amendment to the Order of Business. This important Bill deals with the issue of carbon monoxide and I assume the reference to dwellings also refers to hotels. There have been a number of tragedies in hotels involving the deaths of young people following inhalation of carbon monoxide.

I wish to condemn publicly the hate mail and other attacks on our colleague in the other House, the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Alan Shatter. It is quite appalling that Nazi emblems were sent to him. I deplore this obviously anti-Semitic attack. I believe I was the first person to say he should resign, but I did so in a way that was proportionate. I dealt with the facts and also paid tribute to his many remarkable qualities as a reforming Minister. However, I have continuing difficulties with regard to the administration of justice.

I was contacted a couple of years ago by a woman in County Cavan whose son, Shane O'Farrell, was the victim of a hit and run accident. I tried to bring to the attention of the Minister a series of unfortunate situations in this regard where there was clear Garda negligence and malpractice. This young man was brilliant and talented. He was knocked over by a Lithuanian heroin addict who had between 40 and 50 convictions for drug offences and larceny, on both sides of the Border, and was on the Interpol register as a criminal. One hour before he killed this brilliant young man, this person was stopped by the drug squad. He had no insurance on the car and there were a number of other complicating factors. This man was registered on the PULSE system and should have been taken into custody. This would have prevented the death of this vital and talented young man.

I wrote to the Minister about this case and the family wrote to the Minister. We received replies that were emollient and which indicated the Minister could not interfere as he had no responsibility in the matter. This precluded me from raising the issue as an Adjournment matter, because no Minister had responsibility for it. Now however, in light of the various revelations that have come out, this case should be included in a public inquiry into hit and run incidents. We should investigate in particular - I say this without any suggestion of racism - a cluster of accidents that have occurred for which drivers from eastern Europe have been responsible. These drivers may have been unfamiliar with our roads and culture. A predecessor of the Cathaoirleach, the late Liam Naughten, was killed in just such a tragic accident - a great loss to political life. We need to ensure that people who drive in this country, no matter where they come from, are competent and that they are driving appropriate vehicles. I call for a public inquiry into this.