Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

Perhaps in his response to Members the Minister might indicate whether he has received a copy of the report of the Morris tribunal. Has any Member of the House received a copy of the report? We received a copy of the first report a fortnight after the initial publication. Now we are about to enter a flawed approach to its content as only statements on the report are allowed. Although it was set up to be accountable to this House, the Morris tribunal has not reported to it. The only way to access the report is through the Internet or by depending on our friends in the media. The reality is that it is not reported back to this House in a proper and meaningful way. The point needs to be emphasised that there is a responsibility on the Morris tribunal to recognise that it was this institution that established it in the first place and that the report should be sent to each Member that was a party to setting it up.

The proposal to have statements only is an outrageous response to a serious issue. It is imperative that we have a full debate, a clear proposition and an outline of action to be taken. Everyone in this House, irrespective of political persuasion, expects actions to be taken on foot of the recommendations in the report of the Morris tribunal. The wider public expects the same. I urge that the proposal to have statements only be withdrawn, that a full debate be scheduled, that the Government outline its intent for action following the publication of the second report of the Morris tribunal and that we have the opportunity to debate that substantive proposition rather than this charade which amounts to absolutely nothing.

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