Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

By his account, the Attorney General only brought this matter to the Taoiseach's attention when he phoned her about an unrelated issue. In addition, the Taoiseach did not contact the Minister for Justice and Equality for a further 24 hours. There is no information at all with regard to his contacting or consulting the Tánaiste in respect of this matter. Where is the Tánaiste in all of this?

The Bailey case is crucial because all of those I mentioned knew about that case and about the surveillance, phone tapping, etc., that were carried out. The former Garda Commissioner did not co-operate with GSOC in respect of an investigation relating to that matter. While we are discussing these issues, the State is currently contesting a civil action taken by Ian Bailey and his partner, Jules Thomas. This is despite serious concerns in respect of Garda activities similar to those revealed by the Morris tribunal. There is also the matter of the tainted Garda investigation files relating to the Bailey case being handed over to the French authorities. As a result, there is an international dimension to this.

Let us return to what I am putting forward as a context in respect of why the Minister for Justice and Equality, the Attorney General, the Department of Justice and Equality and its Secretary General and GSOC are all working against each other. When the Taoiseach briefed Deputy Martin and I on this matter, I informed him that I believed what he was telling me. I still have no reason not to believe him. At the heart of what the Government is doing - at the core of which is the Minister for Justice and Equality - is an attempt to engage in a cover-up and to impede other Government and State agencies from investigating the allegations made by Ian Bailey. That is one of the reasons that the Minister for Justice and Equality should go. When he is responding to the matter which is the subject of tonight's Private Members' business, will the Minister clarify his role in respect of the issues I have raised? Ian Bailey has stated that he wrote to the Minister two years ago in respect of the then Garda Commissioner not bringing forward information which he was bound to bring forward under the terms of the Garda Síochána Act. Will the Taoiseach ask the Minister to clarify his role in respect of these matters when he addresses the House later this evening?

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