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

We all get the big picture but yesterday was a silent movie because nobody could speak. I want to make a point to the Tánaiste who appears to be condoning the silencing of Parliament yesterday. There have been many tribunals of inquiry established in this House. I set up quite a number of them myself. When I set up the inquiry into physical and sexual abuse in industrial schools, at the same time we removed the Statute of Limitations. We did so to facilitate the capacity of survivors of those schools to take legal action in the courts. That did not stop us from debating the terms of reference of that inquiry in this House.

The same thing happened when we established an inquiry into the Diocese of Ferns. It did not stop any debate here, even though there could have been court cases. In addition, the banking inquiry was established even though criminal cases are due in respect of some of the institutions that come under that inquiry's remit. How come there was no issue with having a debate on the banking inquiry? By the way, I welcome a debate on the banking inquiry. I have no difficulty with that but I am talking about the lack of consistency.

If one takes any tribunal of inquiry, there are many court cases related to quite a number of them, be they on planning or whatever. Numerous inquiries have been established here and there has never been a restriction on debate in the House on the terms of reference of those inquiries or the rationale behind them. Members of the House were, of course, invited to contribute to such debates. The current situation is quite unprecedented.

Standing Order 57 - the gagging writ, as it is called - was originally brought in to prevent what happened yesterday, because back then there was an attempt to do just what happened yesterday. It is now open to anybody to move a writ to prevent debate about particular items in the future.

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