Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses. The swiftness and efficacy of their response has probably mitigated against any potential damage that could have been done to Irish Aid and that must be acknowledged. We are all very supportive of the work of Irish Aid.

We are talking here, in general terms, about officials from the OPM. Can the witnesses say with any certainty, at this stage of the investigation, that elected representatives had no hand, act or part in the fraud, either by way of encouragement or direct involvement? It may be too early to determine that but I would like to hear the witnesses' views on that question.

Are the witnesses satisfied that the civil service of Uganda is sufficiently independent to ensure that there was no political involvement in this particular collusion, as the witnesses described it? If it is the case that there was high-ranking political involvement, that would have serious implications for Irish Aid's ongoing engagement with Uganda. That would be a shame, given that Irish taxpayers have contributed enormously to the development of that country and are very proud of that fact. Is it known whether the officials in question were political appointees or members of an independent civil service? In the context of the legal and judicial system, Mr. Rogers made reference to the fact that two individuals have been prosecuted to date. By any measurement, that is a swift prosecution, given that the authorities apparently only became aware of this in October. Would the witnesses fear that in the rush to find a head and someone to blame for this regrettable series of incidents, the independence of the judiciary and the legal system might be called into question? I know from my own contacts in Uganda that the focus in the media on this issue has been intense and the political system might rush to a response. Are the witnesses convinced that the political and legal systems will hold up, will identify those responsible and prosecute them in a fair and just way?