Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)

I listened to many of the contributions on the outcome of the Mahon report from Deputies in the Chamber, which ranged from annoyance to disgust to outrage. There was broad acceptance of the outcome. I remember the original advertisements in newspapers referring to a solicitor in Newry. People talked about it at the time and it captured people's imagination. They wondered what was going on and whether it was a scam. None of us imagined that this is what would come out. It shone a light on what was going on in this city and throughout the land.

The Mahon report concentrated on matters in the Dublin area. What annoys me is that the practices of Dublin City Council and Dublin County Council were happening in other councils around the country. That is a discussion for another day. If we are to learn from the Mahon report, we must examine mistakes made in the past and the corrupt planning decisions in other local authority areas. Like other Members, I am concerned at the idea of the Minister closing down investigations into those practices in the past.

I live in Tallaght and a former Member used to mention the names of roads in the constituency. I have tried to represent the area as best I can since becoming active in community politics, being elected to the council and then to this House. What strikes me about the discussion after the Mahon report is that some people say they were not aware of what was going on. If people were not aware of the practices that went on leading up to the 2007 election, they must have been living in another universe. Some of the irregularities regarding it were quite clear from media reports and so on.

Many of the people who have come out badly from the Mahon tribunal were rewarded by the electorate at that time. It is clear there was a connection between business and politicians in that regard.

If I was to criticise the Mahon tribunal it would be that there was never any attempt made to bring porters who were working for the then Dublin County Council into the investigation. I do not know the reason for that. I was previously a councillor and if one wanted to know what was going on in the building one asked the porters. If one wants to know what is going on here, they are the people to ask. I thought it was strange that they were not brought into the investigation. I do not know if it was a class thing in that it might have been felt they were at the bottom of the ladder, so to speak, but they were the people running up and down corridors passing messages and so on. It was an omission on the part of the tribunal that it did not look into that.

I live in Tallaght, having lived originally in Rathfarnham. I got married and moved out to Tallaght. I remember Tallaght when it was a village and the changes that came about. I am proud to represent that area but I recognise that there have been many problems in the area. One could probably say the same about the new towns in Blanchardstown, Clondalkin and across the city. Some of those problems are down to bad planning in the past, and perhaps I was part of that bad planning, but I remember when people were transported out of the city into these new suburbs. They were new houses but those people lost their sense of community. There was no work. There was little or no transport yet these things happened. Some people would argue that it was a positive development to take people out of Dickensian housing conditions and move them out to the country but it broke up families and communities. We wonder how those decisions came about.

As part of this debate a number of people went on the attack. Members of Fianna Fáil attacked all around and blamed other parties for what they did but it is clear there is a problem within Fianna Fáil. I come from the position where my grandfather who was a Fianna boy in 1916 and fought the Tans in 1922 ended up joining Fianna Fáil. I did not know the man when I was growing up. I was too young but I have talked to many people who were in Fianna Fáil who do not recognise what it has turned into. Fianna Fáil members can say that is not true but even today many party stalwarts would talk about the way the party ended up. People can say it was because of the Haughey era and that there were other people involved. It was the cute hoorism but it was also the relationship with business, and in that regard I go back to the 2007 election. People said there was no connection in that regard but one only had to go around the north inner city to see that every building site in Dublin had posters connected to a particular party, and it was not mine. There was a clear connection and people made that decision in regard to it.

We must learn from the Mahon tribunal. There was criticism of the length of time it sat, the costs and so on. People can criticise those aspects but the lessons we must learn from this tribunal, the Moriarty tribunal and some of the others is that this cannot be allowed to happen in future. We must be much more transparent in that regard.

I would like to see positive steps being taken by Government arising from the Mahon report. We need to examine decisions that have been made in the past. As an Irish citizen and a TD in this House I am concerned about some of the decisions made regarding offshore oil exploration. There must be a clear investigation in regard to some of the people who have been found to be corrupt by the Mahon tribunal.

From my small involvement in the peace process, I recall concern being expressed about some of the individuals who were central to the negotiations at that time. People say we can be critical when looking back but concerns were raised regarding Ray Burke and whether something would backfire in regard to him. We know that during a critical phase of the discussions leading up to the peace process and eventually to the Good Friday Agreement Ray Burke had to be removed from a central negotiating position representing the Government at that time. That was scandalous. People can rewrite history in terms of their involvement in that process but that was a major mistake made at that time. That person should never have been allowed into that position.

I am proud to represent the area I represent. I am proud to represent Dublin but the changes that have come about were down to wrong decisions being made. In terms of what is right and wrong, the Mahon report talks in terms of corrupt payments but also inappropriate payments. What is corrupt and what is inappropriate? People appeared to have a level they could go to in that it was okay to take €200, €500, €2,000 or €200,000. At what point is a TD or other elected representative culpable in that regard? It is not right to take €10 or €100 if it is offered to try to force someone to change their mind on a decision.

I hope positive changes will come out of the Mahon report and that the recommendations will be taken fully on board by all parties in this House.

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