Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

It is shocking for the country that such a level of corruption and behaviour should have been taking place in County Donegal and that members of our police force should have behaved like backwoodsmen in the deep south in the worst kind of nightmare movie. It was shocking and the degree to which such behaviour serves to undermine the Garda force itself and public confidence in it, as well as the rights of citizens, are the issues that must be addressed in this House today. I am appalled that instead of addressing those issues and the serious content of those reports, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform came into the House and in an exercise of the worst kind of gurrier politics, decided to have a political thump at Deputy Howlin and the former Deputy, Jim Higgins. He spent more time in his speech dealing with Deputy Howlin and former Deputy Jim Higgins than he did with the serious facts and findings that were uncovered by the Morris tribunal.

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