Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

Confidence in the Taoiseach cannot continue when he has given the most incredible of explanations to the tribunal. Deputy Kenny, my predecessor and I did not invent this. When these issues arose in the public domain we took the view, for which we were criticised, that the Taoiseach would give his evidence to the tribunal. He said he wanted to go to Dublin Castle and explain all this. He said he had an explanation for it and had supplied all the documents.

When he got to Dublin Castle we discovered a couple of facts. We discovered he was not quite as fulsome in co-operating with the tribunal as he had claimed. It had been writing to him for a year and a half to extract information from him. Over a series of appearances in Dublin Castle he has given the most cock-eyed of explanations for various matters. As I said, you can buy one of these stories but, given the contradictions emerging between one and another, buying them all is unbelievable. It will continue and that is not good for the country. It is bad for politics, the way we do our business and the attention which requires to be given to the issues of the people.

Yesterday on television the Tánaiste said it was not his practice to talk to the Taoiseach about his evidence at the tribunal before he gave it, and I accept that, I would not expect him to have that kind of conversation with him. However, earlier this year the Taoiseach designated Deputy Cowen as his successor. Has Deputy Cowen had any conversation with the Taoiseach about when that succession will take place? Whatever about my believing that the Tánaiste did not talk to the Taoiseach about his evidence at the tribunal, I cannot believe he has not had that conversation with him. I will not have the opportunity to ask a second supplementary question to this so in case the Tánaiste tells us this is none of our business, that the leadership of Fianna Fáil is its business and it will decide in its own time, I remind Deputy Cowen that this House elects the Taoiseach. We now have a set of circumstances where the current occupant of that office has said he will resign at some stage and will pass on the mantle to the Tánaiste. When is that going to happen? While the Taoiseach is brazening out his political difficulties with the tribunal, this country is getting increasingly scandalised by it all and it must end.

See this speech in context