Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)

It is important to note that this motion is essentially an attempt to restore public confidence in the Mahon tribunal and its procedures and in the concept of upholding standards in public office and public life. I probably speak for a number of the newer Deputies when I say that I am absolutely aghast not only at the defensive and hypocritical response we have heard from Government representatives in the Chamber last night and this morning but also at the nature of their attacks over the past number of months. The tribunal was set up to try to clean up politics, rout out corruption and establish the truth about payments to politicians. It has gone some distance towards achieving these aims. It has been working to the best of its ability within the framework established by the Oireachtas — by a Fianna Fáil-led Government — to establish the facts. At the time the tribunal was established and during the course of its proceedings and the publication of a number of interim reports, most of the senior Cabinet Ministers who spoke on this motion last night and today, as well as the Taoiseach himself, affirmed and reaffirmed their confidence in the value and virtue of the tribunal.

I will highlight some quotes from the Taoiseach in this regard. Speaking in this Chamber in 2002 about former Deputy Ray Burke, he stated:

The Government has initiated the most far reaching inquiries, not only in the history of this State, but in the recent history of most democratic countries. We are determined to find the truth, whatever it is.

Later, he went on to say:

The uncovering of a previously hidden and unacceptable past has undermined confidence in the administration of our affairs. For politics to recover the confidence of the people the facts must be laid bare . . .

This is almost laughable in view of the Taoiseach's approach to the tribunal over the last number of months and years.

Deputy Mansergh, who has left the Chamber, has stated again and again his confidence in the tribunal, the Taoiseach and the accounts which he put before the public both before the general election and subsequently. However, speaking in Seanad Éireann in 2002, he stated: "One of the salutary lessons of the interim report [from the Flood tribunal, now the Mahon tribunal], which will apply to other tribunals and also the future work of the Flood tribunal, is that it gives a clear answer to those who might be tempted to give tribunals the run-around, concoct fantastic or preposterous stories to explain inconsistencies or, in general, show contempt, through the tribunals, to the Oireachtas and the people". How far Deputy Mansergh has come since he moved from Seanad Éireann to Dáil Éireann.

The most worrying aspect of this is that for the past six months an independent tribunal of inquiry has come under sustained attack not only by members of the Fianna Fáil Party but also by senior, eminent Cabinet Ministers. They have bombarded the media with press statements containing attacks on and allegations about the operation and independence of the tribunal. It is time we laid them bare and exposed the myths they have put forward. Deputies O'Dea, Dermot Ahern, Hanafin and Roche have all questioned the tribunal at various points. Deputy Roche stated of the tribunal: "It was petty, it was personal, it was prurient". He was referring to the cross-examination of the Taoiseach, something that is a natural part of any tribunal of inquiry and is clearly a fundamental step in establishing the truth about the tribunal's subject matter. The most significant aspect of the sustained attacks by Cabinet Ministers is their timing. The most disingenuous argument that has emanated from the Government benches on this tribunal is that it has taken too long, been delayed and it is time it concluded its work. This attack has emerged only in the last six months when the Taoiseach went before the tribunal to give evidence in September and December. Before that we heard nothing from these Ministers. Over the last six to nine years there were no questions or criticisms on the delays in the tribunal from the Government benches. To allege that the issue that concerns Cabinet Ministers is the length of time this tribunal is taking is untrue, misleading and disingenuous. This is a concerted attempt in the last few months to undermine the tribunal because Ministers are not happy with its findings, the evidence emerging and the questions the Taoiseach has to answer on his tax affairs, personal donations he received and, as we have seen in the last 24 hours, links between him and particular developers and his facilitation of their passport needs.

We have seen the mantle of corruption passed through the generations of leadership in Fianna Fáil from former Taoiseach Mr. Charles Haughey, former Deputy Ray Burke and Deputy Bertie Ahern. We are all aware of the issues with Deputy Bertie Ahern signing blank cheques for his mentor Mr. Haughey. That mantle of corruption is being passed to the new and future leadership of Fianna Fáil and this is a significant issue. During the debate on the motion of no-confidence in the Taoiseach we proposed in October, Cabinet Ministers entered this Chamber one by one to defend the Taoiseach. They too are tainted, and shall be tainted in the future. On "Prime Time" Deputy Barry Andrews said the tribunal is not a legal process. It is appalling for a Member of this House to say that. It is a violation of the separation of powers.

See this speech in context