Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Some of the other Deputies have referred to whistleblowers within the force having brought into the public domain what they claim to be shoddy practice. Apparently, it is limited to a number of districts. It is not widespread. The bottom line is that the public needs to know. It would be appalling and outrageous for the overwhelming majority of motorists who have paid their fine, taken the points, taken it on the chin and adapted their driving to think that there was some arrangement.

This is a most serious matter. Unfortunately, sometimes it gets caught up in persons being named, etc. The bottom line is a significant number of road traffic offences have allegedly been written off without any proper procedure being taken by senior members of the Garda. Those are the allegations to which a number of Deputiew are privy.

I appreciate the Minister's response that he will await the report in two weeks' time. I commend him for stating he will publish the report. It needs to be done. At that stage, we need a full and frank debate in this House about the report and its implications and where we go from there. It does a damning disservice to the overwhelming majority of gardaí who serve the State will great pride that, in the issues that we have been raised today they perhaps involve only a small minority of the force. We will see how the report comes out but the allegations are very serious.

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