Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The people of Ireland are hurting and are rightly angry. They want an accounting not some denunciation from the benches here. They want a real accounting. Those who committed criminal offences should be held to account under the law. We changed the law shortly after coming into Government to give additional powers to the prosecution authorities. I am confident that every shred of evidence they require - they are very competent people - will be available to them. They have the power to acquire it and I have every confidence that this is exactly what they have done.

I remind the Deputy that we operate courts of law under the Constitution - not courts martial. I know there are those who are more used to summary justice. We are interested in ensuring the slow, painstaking and difficult task of giving every assistance to the prosecution authorities to ensure that where there is any criminality, those people are held to account and that we do not do anything that would give any shield or comfort to people who may have committed a criminal act and allow them to escape accountability.

That is what will happen under this Administration.

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