Niall Blaney (Donegal North East, IND-FF)

I would go so far as to say that collusion took place between the health board and the Garda Síochána in an effort to break her down. Her children were taken from her and she was wrongly imprisoned. She was brutalised, held at gunpoint and with a knife to her throat and was victimised by members of the Garda Síochána. She has lost two homes and her marriage and had a real battle on her hands to overturn the efforts of the health board and the Garda to win back her two children. These people and others referred to by other Members this morning are the forgotten victims of the Morris tribunal. I implore the Minister to ensure these victims are not forgotten.

I wish to draw the Minister's attention to a case touched on by Mr. Justice Morris, the murder of Councillor Eddie Fullerton. He was a man of the highest integrity who had friends in all political parties, such was the character of this gentle giant. I have no doubt that Garda collusion took place in his murder. As two jurisdictions are involved, I call for a separate inquiry with an international dimension and I call on the Minister to put in train such an inquiry.

While the Morris tribunal has been a cloud over Donegal, all this must be brought into the open and dealt with in an appropriate manner in order for all the victims to return to a normal life. I ask the House to spare a thought for the upstanding members of the Garda Síochána in Donegal, of which there are many. Every garda in Donegal is under extreme pressure while carrying out their everyday duties. They are faced with being tarred with the same brush. Efforts will be required to restore the confidence of members of the force when the tribunal has concluded and to restore the confidence of the public in the Garda so that they know they have a force which can be trusted to protect communities from all harm. This is the least they deserve.

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