Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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If you do not mind, one of the reasons you are before us, and why I am raising these issues with you, is that we have heard from a range of people, against a backdrop of more general criticism of the investigation unit, some things that are very troubling, some of it corroborated and other parts not. In the case of this gentleman, Mr. Douglas Fannin, it has been through the courts, he has been vindicated and you can take whatever view you take on this matter but that is, with the greatest respect, largely irrelevant at this juncture. What he had to say about the carry-on of the investigations unit in this case was very shocking. Judge Reynolds took the view also that the officials were, as you say, heavy handed. Mr. Fannin gave us chapter and verse of what it looks like when this unit is heavy handed and it did not make for pleasant listening. Mr. Fannin gave evidence of the impact that it had on him, his family and his, son who is also a farmer but now in New Zealand and not contributing to this strategic sector in this country.

I understand that you are anxious to give the context for this but I find your approach not just defensive but dismissive of what happened to this man.