Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

A motion of no confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Alan Shatter, is warranted by any one of several stances taken by the Minister which were all designed to protect the most senior echelons of the Garda Síochána when issues surfaced that brought their role into serious question. The penalty points controversy and the blackguarding of the two gardaí who brought that to the attention of the Government is one instance. The furious attack against the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission when it suspected that its headquarters had been bugged is another and now we have the secret taping at Garda stations.

I wish to raise two issues. I want the Minister or senior gardaí to explain why, following a two year audit by the Data Protection Commissioner of An Garda Síochána, which produced a 95 page report only a few weeks ago about data protection issues, not a single mention is made in that report of a phone call, a taped phone call or anything relating to that.

I want the Minister or senior gardaí to answer why during a two year audit of An Garda Síochána by the Data Protection Commissioner, which produced a 95-page report only a few weeks ago about data protection issues, there is not a single mention of a phone call, a taped phone call or anything relating to that. I want the Garda to explain who held off the truth from whom. I want the Data Protection Commissioner to make a statement on this incredible circumstance.

It is time for a commission of inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death, and the investigation of the death or murder, of the Reverend Niall Molloy as pursued relentlessly by the journalist Gemma O'Doherty. It is one of the longest running miscarriages of justice cases in the history of the State. The Government must move on this.

See this speech in context