Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I wish to use the brief time available to me to put on record as leader of the Labour Party that it stands foursquare behind Deputy Howlin in what he did and in the way he handled this matter from beginning to end. Moreover, I believe the public owes Deputy Howlin and former Deputy Jim Higgins a debt of gratitude for what they did. They behaved responsibly. They were provided with information and instead of going to the press or coming before the House, they went responsibly and appropriately to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to put him in possession of that information. On foot of this, I acknowledge the then Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy John O'Donoghue, behaved appropriately by agreeing to establish the tribunal.

What was discovered and unearthed by that tribunal is shocking.

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