Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

I charge that the Minister has acted as judge and jury against a private citizen. He has violated Articles 38 and 40 of the Constitution, which provide that no citizen shall be tried, save in due course of law, and that all citizens shall be held equal before the law. In what way was the security of this State threatened in the past few weeks? How exactly did the Minister envisage that giving confidential Garda files to a newspaper would address that supposed threat and advance democracy and the security of this State? He has failed in his opening remarks to explain exactly how due process was safeguarded or even observed by his actions. Does he believe in the presumption that someone is innocent unless proven guilty?

See this speech in context