Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

I welcome the Minister's full response. It is almost necessary to preface all questions of this type by stating, as the Minister did, that the great majority of gardaí are fine, upstanding, hard working, diligent, law-abiding people who do the State a great service. While I do not believe it is necessary to make this statement every time we comment on these matters, I do so because it reflects the general view.

We have given extraordinary powers to the Garda Síochána, and the House will later discuss a Bill which will give it further powers. We must, therefore, have confidence that these powers will never be abused in the manner indicated by this awful case.

Since I tabled the question I listened to Mr. Shortt speak on radio when he said he was very moved to receive a personal letter from the Garda Commissioner. This was a welcome step. Since the apology from the State, to which the Minister referred, was, to use Mr. Shortt's word "dragged" from the State's legal team during the court proceedings, will the Minister take this opportunity to make a full apology to the Shortt family on behalf of the State for the egregious wrong done to them and the terrible suffering they endured? Such a gesture would help the process of healing, understanding and moving on.

The Supreme Court, in its ruling, argued that a countervailing check is required to the practice of giving particular weight to the evidence of members of the Garda Síochána. Robust mechanisms must be in place for this purpose and the requirement set down by the Chief Justice, that the Oireachtas take all necessary steps to ensure, in as far as is practicable, that such deliberate abuse of power is not repeated and is prevented, must be met by the House and the Minister.

On the offer of early release from prison made to Mr. Shortt, I welcome the inquiries the Minister is undertaking of each of the arms of the State which may be in a position to shed light on the matter. I am confident the Minister of the day did not have knowledge of the offer and I accept the Minister's word that officials in his Department were not aware of it. We need to know the source of this offer, which placed pressure on a person who had been cruelly damaged by the State and its agents.

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