John Halligan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The annual report of the Data Protection Commission released yesterday highlighted disturbing abuse of the public sector's information system because of inappropriate employee access and abuse. This is a very serious matter. The public sector and the Minister heading that Department, has a solemn duty to protect data in its possession which it may only disclose with the consent of the individual concerned or under legislation enacted by the Oireachtas. Hence, the Minister for Justice and Equality, one of the most important and influential positions in Government, has been using privileged information on national television - for whatever reason - which, in my view, represents a threat to every citizen. The fact the Taoiseach supports this misuse and abuse of the ministerial office, strengthens that threat, as does the relative silence of Deputies from both Government parties.

I ask the Taoiseach whether, prior to last Thursday night's "Prime Time", the Minister, Deputy Shatter informed the Taoiseach of his intention to disclose confidential information relating to Deputy Mick Wallace on national television. Did the Taoiseach speak to him before the programme? Was the Minister acting with the Taoiseach's authority?

The Minister, Deputy Shatter, has said that he was made aware of the incident at a Garda briefing. Does the Taoiseach seriously expect us to believe that the Garda Síochána makes the Minister aware of every single incident referred to at these briefings? Was it just pure fluke that Deputy Wallace's name was mentioned? These are fundamental questions that need to be answered. For example, does the Minister have further information on public representatives, on the media or on journalists? These are very relevant questions.

Will the Taoiseach agree it is the role of journalists rather than of the Minister with responsibility for law and order, to go on national television and disclose information? Indeed, if a journalist were to put such an allegation to the Minister, he would be asked to reveal his source.

Democracy is built on the basis that Government, the Judiciary and the police act as separate entities. If the Government interferes with the other two, then we are slowly heading towards a banana republic. In his support for the Minister, is the Taoiseach saying that he will now give the go-ahead to all Cabinet Ministers likewise to disclose publicly any sensitive information they might see fit in order to abuse State power for political purposes? I think the Taoiseach has under-estimated the public concern. I do not believe this was a once-off action by the Minister. I believe it probable that he has information, however ethical it is, on Deputies, journalists and others. People want to know whether he has this information and whether the Taoiseach was aware that he planned to make this information public when he appeared on "Prime Time" last week.

See this speech in context