Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. The Minister has not dealt with it this morning and, of course, we got a copy of his speech very late in the day during the delivery of his speech - I think for obvious reasons. He said that he relied on material that he received, detailing the content of a direction given to Sergeant McCabe on a related matter. No one has ever said and no one is saying that the inquiry team ever invited Sergeant Maurice McCabe to anything. It did not text him, e-mail him or interview him. That is a fact.

The Minister is now relying on one letter from an assistant secretary, which again did not invite him to any inquiry or whatever and only advised him to bring information to what was described as "his authorities". He said: "The situation is further complicated by the fact that between the finalisation of the O'Mahoney report and its publication, he declined to take up an offer from Assistant Commissioner O'Mahoney". It was not between the finalisation and publication of that. That conversation took place in the aftermath of the report having been sent to the Minister. The bottom line is that he was not asked and the Commissioner said at the Committee of Public Accounts that he was not asked.

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