Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I think it is fair to state the Department of Justice and Equality is leading in the supply of information. I want to move on because I have a number of other questions. We got the message from that.

As for the current trawl and the provision of information, today's proceedings are extremely worrying. The idea that there is a whole load of information in the Department and that judgment calls are being made as to whether that bank of information is relevant is seriously worrying. As someone who has asked questions on this issue, I would err on the side of the Department handing over all this information, rather than having a filtration system itself. Obviously, the history of this matter over the last number of weeks, months and years does not give confidence.

A number of people who were around during that period are now retired. On foot of another question I asked, it now is known the phone call made from Garda headquarters to the Department of Justice and Equality was brought to the Department's attention because a retired member of staff said he remembered it. Has the witness asked all those who were senior officials at the time whether they were using a form of private email client with regard to any of this documentation? If so, has it been discovered? Has that question been asked of every single person who was in the Department at the time and who is relevant to this area? I refer to eight to ten people in the policing area and the Secretaries General. If not, why not? If not, the Department should do so.

The people working in the Department are paid by the taxpayer. They all have mobile phones. Have the records of those mobile phones been provided to the Charleton tribunal as part of discovery? If not, why not? If not, will the Department do that?