Mr. Martin Callinan:

Clearly, Chairman, I will have to take legal advice and take whatever action I feel is appropriate to protect the Garda Síochána, not, as people might interpret, to circle the wagons but because there is a very fundamental principle here and that is the direction and control of the organisation. People will be aware - and it is a matter of public record - of how I do my business and how this man beside me, Deputy Commissioner O'Mahoney, does his business. We have, and I have said this in the past, both been involved in investigations where we sent our colleagues to jail. Not a very pleasant exercise I can assure everyone sitting in this room. We have had an occasion where one of our own colleagues' wives collapsed in front of us when he was sent to jail. So no one can point the finger at me and say that I will not take firm action if I have any hint of wrongdoing. It is not a question of acting in a particular way to suit my particular circumstances, it is about fairness to both the organisation and to the control and discipline that requires to be intact within An Garda Síochána in order to allow it to carry out its functions.