Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

The former President of the High Court, Mr. Justice Morris, deserves the commendation and applause of the House. He probably despairs of the Legislature, however, given its response to his first report. The Minister for Finance told the House that the Government takes a most serious view of this second report and will act on it. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform said the exact same thing about the first report, but he did not act on it. I will not say that the Minister, Deputy Cowen, does not understand this matter, but it appears that it is not understood. It is not a matter of disciplining a few gardaí— that is not the issue.

It is important to mention that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, who was not available for whatever reason to answer hard questions from a very respected broadcaster on "Morning Ireland" this morning, is usually happy to make himself available to Pat Kenny for a cosy fireside lecture to the nation. When efforts were made in this House to establish the tribunal now known as the Morris tribunal, Deputy McDowell opposed it tooth and nail. The legal representatives of the McBrearty family had made clear to him and to the then Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy O'Donoghue, what was going on in County Donegal. The current and previous Ministers for Justice, Equality and Law Reform resisted the establishment of the tribunal.

Contrary to the suggestion of the Minister for Finance, the Garda Síochána Bill, which is currently before the House, does not amount to substantial reform. The Minister, Deputy Cowen, has suggested that it is a significant reform that gardaí on duty will be required under the Bill to account for their actions, but nothing could be further from the truth. Members of the House should repeat publicly in this Chamber, in preparation for the full debate on this matter which we will have in due course, what they are saying in private.

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