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

I will repeat the point I was making before I was interrupted. It will be very difficult for members of the inquiry team to conduct their work in a thorough and competent way if they are precluded from referring to and questioning witnesses about documentation they have received from the Central Bank. I would appreciate it if the legal advice to the Oireachtas and to the inquiry could be made public and presented to Deputies who have to debate the Bill today. My understanding is that when the documents go before the banking inquiry, they will not be published. A substantial number of them might not be accessible at all. The subsequent questioning by the members of the banking inquiry committee that will follow the reading of those documents that are accessible will be limited in so far as it will not be possible to name or identify individuals or corporates. I should quickly add that my understanding of the matter is based on what was communicated to me by my party Whip after he was briefed verbally on it at the Committee on Procedure and Privileges. I would respectfully suggest it is no way to conduct a debate in the House on such an important matter. That is why I stood up to oppose this. I am speaking on the basis of the quick legal advice we have received with regard to this important issue.

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