Eamonn Maloney (Dublin South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Despite the Verrimus report, I do not know whether the building was bugged. No Member can conclusively say whether it was. It is a comprehensive report and includes words such as threats and vulnerabilities. As a layperson, I am no more convinced that the place was bugged than anyone else. This is no ordinary company drafted in to carry out such work. It is not a domestic or European company but an international company with a very high status. However, its conclusions do not say emphatically the building was bugged. Perhaps it was but I am not convinced. If it was bugged, I would be fully in favour of a public inquiry as the proper thing to do. However, it is inconclusive. I have no objection to the inquiry going ahead. We seem to have an infatuation in this Parliament with inquiries and every month we have an inquiry about something. Those in the legal profession are looking forward to what comes down the tracks. It seems to be inquiry after inquiry. The process will go ahead and I wish the judge well. As other Members have mentioned, I hope he gets full co-operation. I hope he is a high-tech judge because Verrimus could not be conclusive about this. If there is a retired Irish judge with a comprehensive understanding of surveillance and bugging, I wish him the very best of luck with his inquiry. I am not terribly optimistic.

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