Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Why are we not having a commission of investigation to investigate the bugging of GSOC or the dossier produced by the whistleblowers? People died because of related issues, but we will not have a commission of investigation to examine that dossier. The public finds it difficult to reconcile all of this. The Minister did not indicate why he was circumventing GSOC with regard to the policy on and practice of recording telephone calls in and out of Garda stations. Under its enabling legislation GSOC has a remit under to allow it to review Garda Síochána policies and practices, but the Minister conveniently seems to be bypassing that body. It is quite clear that the public has settled on one issue, that the Minister is not the man to oversee the administration of justice in this country. A catalogue of issues have been allowed to escalate into crises, one after another, and it is never the Minister who owns up; there is always somebody else to blame, but that does not wash on this occasion. It is clear that the Government and the Minister should have been or were in possession of the information, but there was a choice made yesterday to drop it into what we now have.

My party never called for the resignation of the Garda Commissioner whom we thank for his service to the State over 41 years. I also take the opportunity, on behalf of my party, to acknowledge the rank and file members of An Garda Síochána who hold the thin blue line for society against the forces of criminality. The Minister is presiding over the erosion of confidence and morale within An Garda Síochána. By virtue of his inaction and incompetence, An Garda Síochána is at the centre of political debate every day, which is down to the Minister's mishandling of a series of events. I pay tribute to gardaí and thank them on behalf of the people for their forbearance and professionalism in doing their job. It is no thanks to the Minister that they are doing it successfully, as there is no real or meaningful support from him.

I will finish as I started. The Minister's statements are not credible and it is time for him to leave the ministry of justice.

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