Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

As I emphasised from the beginning, the whole point of our system is that, since the foundation of State, successive Ministers for Justice have represented the Garda Síochána in the House and taken political accountability for the national police force. Kevin O'Higgins did it, James Geoghegan did it, Gerry Boland did it and it is the right way to do it, not the wrong way.

See this speech in context