Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)

I do not question the absolute integrity and bona fides of the then Minister for Justice, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn. What is of significant importance, however, is the element of historical revisionism regarding the efforts made to bring this issue to the fore. I am not as well versed as Deputy Howlin, who was one of the main proponents in trying to bring this matter to public attention with my colleague, Senator Higgins. It is clear that significant efforts were made at the time to try to get the Government to face up to its responsibilities, but they were brushed aside. It is also a matter of fact that the motion tabled by the Opposition was voted down by hustling everybody into the lobbies, including Independent Deputies from Donegal, to prevent the setting up of a tribunal at that time.

The Minister has given a long and convoluted explanation as to his conduct both as Attorney General and as Minister, but I do not intend to go into that. I will leave it to others who are better able to deal with the detail. I believed the Minister was to address broad, serious issues of national interest rather than defending his own position. To echo the words of Shakespeare, methinks he doth protest too much.

The Minister continues to oppose any changes to his proposals for the Garda ombudsman commission. He stated having a single Garda ombudsman would pose a problem were that individual to go on holiday. We have a single ombudsman in Emily O'Reilly. Does she not go on holidays? We have a single Ombudsman for Children, Emily Logan. We have a single Information Commissioner, a single Insurance Ombudsman of Ireland, a single Data Protection Commissioner and a single Director of Corporate Enforcement. We also have one Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

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