Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Ar an chéad dul síos, I offer my sympathy and that of the Technical Group to the community of Woolwich in south London and voice our revulsion at what happened yesterday.

We have heard much in the past few days about the need for accountability and transparency in Irish politics, especially at ministerial level. We have heard the Minister for Justice and Equality say time and again that it was his judgement that it was both necessary and in the public interest for him to point out that Deputy Mick Wallace had been a beneficiary of discretion exercised by An Garda Síochána. The Minister also said he made the point not to make a political charge or for any personal benefit but to defend the integrity of An Garda Síochána. It is in that context and strictly with these concerns in mind that I ask the Tánaiste to inform the House if either he or the Taoiseach is aware whether the Minister was stopped at a Garda checkpoint in Dublin in late February or March 2011. This was in the intervening period between the general election and shortly before his appointment to the august office of Minister for Justice and Equality. Is the Tánaiste or the Taoiseach aware whether he was cautioned on that occasion by a garda at the checkpoint under the Road Traffic Act 2010 or whether the gardaí used their discretion on that occasion? This would seem to have a very high bearing on the debate. Are they aware whether he was asked to produce a breath specimen under the mandatory breath testing provision contained in the Road Traffic Act 2010, whether his behaviour and reaction to this request was appropriate and cordial, whether he attempted to use the privilege of travelling to and from the Dáil as a means of avoiding giving a breath test or being stopped at a Garda checkpoint and whether he gave a breath specimen on that occasion? Finally, will the Tánaiste, in the public interest and to facilitate greater transparency, call on the Minister to make available immediately the Garda report which exists into that incident?

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