Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

As the House knows, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform will make a statement on this matter in a while. He made a comprehensive statement last week by way of a reply to a parliamentary question. The Minister has at all times kept the Government fully briefed on a matter of great importance touching on the issue of security of the State. He has acted with good authority in accordance with the duties attached to his office for the security of the State. The Minister has confirmed he provided a daily newspaper with copies of a fraudulent passport application in response to a request from that newspaper. He did not provide that newspaper with any Garda file on Mr. Connolly. It is a fact that a bogus application for an Irish passport was made. The person named in the application never made it and the signature of a priest in Belfast on the application was forged. The Minister has said on more than one occasion that Mr. Connolly has many questions to answer and I am glad Deputy Kenny agrees. Almost all sides of the House have condemned the activities of a small number in a group of persons who travelled to Colombia and who were engaged in activities that could not be regarded as benign. They brought this country into disrepute by their actions with a vicious band of narco-guerillas who have wreaked havoc on innocent people in their own country. The Minister has dealt with this matter at all times in a proper way. A number of points have been made but Deputy Kenny's question was whether the Minister kept those concerned about the matter informed and the answer is that he did.

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