John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I read the transcript of the committee meeting in question and it is very clear what the official said on the day. If the committee asks for clarification from the Department it will just be a regurgitation of "There was no attempt to criticise the Judiciary." I am afraid the committee will get nowhere with that approach. It was very clear, and I read the transcript a couple of times. I believe his right to make a criticism of the Judiciary should be protected. It was uncalled for to force a senior official to issue an apology after the fact. It is a serious matter if a person in his position cannot give an opinion or a criticism of the Judiciary; according to our Constitution the Judiciary are not above it completely. It should be perfectly okay for one arm of the State to make a criticism of another. If the official had mentioned one judge or member of the Judiciary specifically, then he would have crossed the line and an apology would have been warranted, but he had a right to comment on the Judiciary as a whole.