Dáil debates

Friday, 17 June 2005

Morris Tribunal: Statements.

 

2:00 pm

Photo of Finian McGrathFinian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for the opportunity to speak in this very important debate. I am delighted the Minister is present to listen to all the views from the different parties, particularly from the Members of the Independent group. When we read the Morris report, we were shocked, horrified and dismayed at the way the McBrearty family and Mr. Mark McConnell were treated. It is just not acceptable. It is an absolute disgrace that families were treated by senior members of the Garda Síochána in a most unprofessional manner. It is important that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform faces this reality.

I want to put on record my full support for the McBrearty family, Mr. Mark McConnell and the Barron family as well. This is important when we are demanding apologies from the Minister and the rest of the Government. I hope we see this soon because I am getting sick to the teeth waiting for it. People should put up their hands and accept responsibility. This is a sad day for the State, its citizens and the taxpayers of this country when they see in the Morris report what has taken place in their name. This report shows that what happened in Donegal was riddled with corruption, shame and sleaze and this is not acceptable.

The Minister must take responsibility for his actions. I say to him now there must be radical change. We need to look closely at the idea of quality policing. Members of this House have been saying this for many years. It is important in today's debate that we do not forget the victims, which happens too often. The McBrearty and McConnell families as well as the late Mr. Richie Barron's family must be given maximum support by the State and everyone who has responsibility.

There is another agenda to be addressed, however. People now ask us as parliamentarians and Members of the Oireachtas who they can trust. Can they trust senior gardaí, politicians, banks or the churches? These are the questions being asked in broader society. Everything is on the table. I call today for a massive cleanout on these issues.

This is a wake-up call for democracy in this State. Some 35% of the electorate do not vote. If asked why, they will cite these as some of the reasons they do not vote. There is a question here for democracy and responsibility. I do not blame just one Government. I blame successive Governments for letting this continue. People have been badly let down. In this House, and in other forums as well, independent voices are needed to voice these concerns. As regards the broad policing issue, an ombudsman is needed and that is a reality. We regularly comment on and debate the Patten proposals and the work of Ms Nuala O'Loan. In recent months there has been historic support for the position of an ombudsman and in particular the excellent job done by the office of Ms O'Loan. It is time to ask the Minister why he is stalling, fudging the issue and holding back.

We must face up to reality as well. The McBreartys were very brave. They worked hard, had to spend their own money, remortgage their houses and take on enormous debts to push their case. I commend them on and support them for this. There are also the other stories, for example, the Dean Lyons case raised by Deputy Gregory. These are the men and women of no property in this State who are being set up without anyone opening his or her mouth. At least the McBreartys had the potential and ability to defend their good name. It cost them a long hard number of years, but they did it and we are supporting them in the House today. However, many other people did not have the courage to continue the fight and just walked off the pitch.

I also question seriously the Minister's support for the Garda Commissioner. Did he know the true scale of the scandal? This is a question we must ask ourselves. I do not accept some of the statements made by the Minister recently to the effect that he did not know. As Deputy Rabbitte said, I do not find it acceptable that some member of the Garda Síochána can plant a gun in somebody's car. That is not professional policing. That is a disgraceful scenario. Equally, I find it disgraceful that the Minister refused to meet the Deputy that raised this question. When this comes out in a few months' time, the Minister's head will be on the block. It should be on the block already. This is about responsibility and accountability and the Minister does not accept it.

I read this morning on my fax Mr. Frank McBrearty Sn.'s comments on the Minister's appearance on "Questions and Answers". He said:

I find it absolutely astonishing that Minister McDowell had the downright criminal cheek to sit on "Questions and Answers" and wave a letter from a private investigator to the rainbow Government, when the same private investigator wrote to Mr. Justice Morris on 24 November 2004. In the third paragraph of that letter he describes how he had over 20 phone calls with Mr. McDowell while he was Attorney General, outlining the facts of our case. An acknowledgement was received from the Attorney General's private secretary, Paul Gibney, dated 21 May 2002, stating that my letter and enclosures on 29 May 2002 would be brought to the Attorney General's notice. On 11 June 2002 I received an acknowledgement from the Tánaiste, Mary Harney, stating that she had forwarded my correspondence to her colleague, the new Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell.

These are the questions and this is the evidence that I am putting to the Minister in the House today.

I am also raising the question of the Garda Commissioner, Noel Conroy. Why has the Minster for Justice, Equality and Law Reform not demanded the removal of Commissioner Conroy from office after his submission to the tribunal and on receipt of the Morris report? He then disagreed with his nominated counsel and tried to blame them for issuing a submission in his name. These are questions for which the McBreartys want answers.

We have a major problem with accountability, leadership and integrity and the Minister must accept responsibility. It happened on his watch. He is responsible as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. He must accept this responsibility. There can be no more sitting on the fence and acting like the café bar kid when it comes to taking on the smaller sections of society. The Minister is being challenged now, especially in this debate, and the evidence has been put before him in the House. The McBreartys, Mr. Mark McConnell and the Barron family deserve justice, the truth, equality and respect. They deserve full compensation for the torture, suffering and nightmare they have had to endure over the years.

On behalf of the ten Independent Members of the House, who work very closely together, I affirm our support for these families. We urge the Minister and the public to look seriously at the Morris recommendations and some of the sections on anti-corruption initiatives and the proposed whistleblower's charter for internal reporting of corruption and malpractice. I hope the Minister introduces that. There is another recommendation about the Garda internal audit section which says the staff should be increased from five to 22 and the budget, from €430,000 to €1.5 million. Will the Minister implement that? There is also the management structure. The recommendation is that the Garda Síochána be divided into 196 area command units which would be audited every two years. "Audited" is the key word. It also recommends that all members promoted to and above the rank of sergeant be briefly seconded to the internal audit section.

I welcome the recommendation that each assistant commissioner be held to account for his or her managerial performance in terms of the progression of each priority strategic initiative by the deputy commissioner who approved such initiatives.

I have made some very constructive proposals regarding the Morris tribunal. I urge people to support the families in their quest for justice, truth and compensation and urge Deputies to be more proactive on this issue.

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