Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for the reply he provided on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Shatter. I am, however, disappointed with the content of that reply. An element of the ongoing investigation is based on a principle that has been long discredited, namely, gardaí investigating gardaí. I accept that there is a broader remit and that gardaí are also investigating - if they are not doing so, they should be - members of the Judiciary, senior members of the political establishment, members of the medical profession and representatives of the church. All of those to whom I refer had a hand in this tragedy and the denial of justice relating to it. I would like the Minister for Justice and Equality to provide an indication as to how long he is prepared to wait for the cold case unit to conclude its inquiry into this matter.

I wish to ask a specific question in respect of the files which were stolen from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, and which were subsequently retrieved by the Garda. What knowledge does the Minister for Justice and Equality have of the deal done between the State and John Traynor in the context of charges being dropped? Were the Garda detectives who visited Traynor in prison in the UK investigated by the cold case unit? These are specific questions which are of interest to anybody who has an interest in justice and truth, not just in this case but also in the context of the wider institutions of the State. Will the Minister for Justice and Equality refer the dimension of this investigation which relates to gardaí investigating gardaí to the Garda Ombudsman Commission, which can make a report to the DPP in respect of such matters?

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