Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

Deputy Flanagan spoke at some length about the growing public perception that the introduction of this Bill at this time is designed to empower the Government to shut down the planning tribunal. I mention the planning tribunal because the other tribunals, Morris and Moriarty being the main among them, are in their concluding stages. The target, therefore, is the planning tribunal. That public perception is abroad because the timing is regarded as odd given that the Taoiseach, having ensnared himself in conflicting stories to the tribunal, is due to reappear at Dublin Castle in a matter of weeks.

However, it is not a conclusion I have been inclined to share. No Government in its right mind would seek to terminate the Mahon tribunal at this stage of its inquiries into the Quarryvale modules. In addition, the decision was made for the Government in a recent High Court case, in that the court prevented inquiry into new modules that might be a source of embarrassment for current or former Government figures or other powerful interests in our society. Inquiries have been shut off in controversial circumstances because of a failure to comply on the part of the tribunal itself.

If my conclusion is correct, why did the Minister work so hard over the weekend to leave the impression that the Bill does not apply to existing tribunals? Why was it thought necessary to convey such an impression when the opposite is the case?

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