Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy walks in here and gives a report to the people about being followed and being under surveillance. I know nothing about this. If he wants to tell more stories or make allegations, I do not have any information about them.

The whistleblowers' legislation is being treated with proper respect and will be dealt with in a way that will constitute a radical change from what applied before. I note the comments of the interim Garda Commissioner about where there is room for dissenting voices in the force and the need to protect whistleblowers when they come forward. The Deputy will be aware that the Government has made a decision to have a statutory independent authority for the Garda. I myself chair the new committee in respect of justice reform and the committee dealing with the statutory independent authority. The latter committee had its first meeting this week. The process is now being set in train for public consultation with hearings by the appropriate committee. It will report back to the Dáil by July with recommendations for the setting up of this authority.

It is clear that when the Guerin and Cooke reports come forward, they will be published and debated here. We will see what recommendations are contained therein. It ill behoves the Deputy to come in here and make allegations about the treatment of his comments as "a joke". I assume he is quite serious in what he is saying. I do not know the person he is speaking about.

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