Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is a question of the possibility of trying to ensure people are not branded unnecessarily, whatever the type of case and regardless of whether it involves public representatives of private citizens. Everybody has a right to due process and natural justice. The ultimate decision, which is made in the courts, could be subject to appeal, but the point is that the axe has fallen and the decision has already been made. Regardless of whether the individuals in the case to which we refer feel they had due process, they lost their jobs. Therefore, it is a serious issue. There is sometimes a tendency to say in the public arena that it is all about perception. Of course, it is not all about perception; it is about substance. Therefore, whatever we do, we need to ensure that we assume people have a right to their good name and to be regarded as innocent until proven guilty. That is one of the basic tenets of our system. However, maybe there are some lessons to be learned from these matters. Would it not be a good idea to learn them?