Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)

Gabh mo leithscéal. It will take a long time before we clean that. We have to do it here. It behoves every elected member to do so. In fairness, 99.9% of all elected people here and everywhere else were elected for good motives - to serve the public rather than to be self-serving. I believe the pensions should be removed. There is no point in saying we cannot go back. We should remove the pensions of people who are found to have engaged in these activities. If I was convicted that time, I would be out of this House. That was the intention. That did not happen, thankfully, because of the decision of the jury. We have to remove the pensions from those who have tarnished the good names of the 1916 leaders, those involved in the War of Independence and those who established this State. The people in question have tarnished politics and tarnished democracy. Some of them are continuing to contaminate it. Some of the good people who go into careers in the Garda Síochána and the Judiciary etc., are being tarnished. They are not strong enough to stand up to it. This was the problem. I also want to inquire into certain planning matters in Clonmel town, which I did not represent on the town council. I refer to the decisions of former members of the council who are now retired. I have nothing to say about any serving members. As far as I am concerned, they are all above reproach.

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