Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

The simple answer is no, I will not, not in this instance. The members of the Garda Síochána deployed in Bellanaboy or anywhere else have a duty to ensure that there are no breaches of criminal law. I compliment them on the work they do on a constant basis, not only there but elsewhere throughout the country in preventing crowd disturbance and dealing with public order issues that are not acceptable within the law.

The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission is a new body that is up and running. It has received a significant number of complaints. I heard what the Deputy said about the number that have been received from people in the Bellanaboy area. The commission has a staff of 101 personnel, a budget of more than €11.5 million and, to a large extent, is dealing with the initial surge of complaints that it has received. I do not believe that I should add to that burden by what I would regard as an unnecessary investigation in this instance under the legislation under which it was set up.

See this speech in context