Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister and the Government decided that there should be a full, thorough and comprehensive analysis of fixed penalty charges. That report was brought before the Government, together with appendices, and sent to the Garda Inspectorate. It was also sent in unredacted form to the Oireachtas committee, together with the appendices in unredacted form. This allows the Oireachtas committee to do what it wishes with the information.

I do not agree with the Deputy that the Minister wished to undermine Deputy Mick Wallace who is present in the House. The Minister did not say Deputy Wallace had done anything wrong. I would contest this with the Deputy because what the Minister wished to undermine was the argument made by Deputy Wallace that there should be no discretion applied after fixed penalty charges had issued. In the context of the information made available as part of the general briefing about the background and reports on fixed penalty charges, the Minister made the information publicly available. It was not a case of wanting to undermine Deputy Wallace who is elected like anybody else. It was clearly to undermine his argument because it was that there should be no discretion when it had been applied in his own case.

This matter will be the subject of statements and questions and answers by the Minister for Justice and Equality this evening. Anybody who wishes to ask a question on it or the relevance of the information on the background to the comprehensive report for the Minister will be entitled to do so.

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