Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

I did take the time to read the Morris reports, particularly since I became Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Indeed, I am in the throes of reading the two current reports, which will be published shortly. They are very large reports and I compliment Mr. Justice Morris on the way in which he has addressed the entire issue. He said in his third report that, subject to safeguards, it should be possible for any serving member of the Garda Síochána to ring Garda headquarters and speak in confidence to a designated officer or group of officers about any real concerns he or she may have about misconduct within the organisation. I am satisfied, as was my predecessor, with the system that has been set up around Mr. Brian McCarthy, and I accept what Deputy Rabbitte has said regarding his bona fides. He can be contacted by the people to whom his job relates directly either by telephone, fax or correspondence addressed to a post office box. All of that is indicated in the whistleblower's charter. Members of the Garda Síochána know exactly how to contact Mr. McCarthy. There is no mystery about where his premises are located. The building is on Harcourt Street and is not in any way connected to the Garda Síochána. He is in a building shared——

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