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

Yesterday, we voted through a request from the chairman of the banking inquiry, Deputy Ciarán Lynch, to extend the date for that inquiry to report until the end of January. I then asked the Taoiseach what I thought was a very reasonable question - to confirm if the House was to be dissolved before the end of the year. If a general election is called, the banking inquiry will never report and I believe the House should be apprised of that matter. It is reasonable that the House would have some certainty, having voted on this issue yesterday, as to whether the banking inquiry will report in January unhindered, in other words, that the report of the banking inquiry will not be undermined or prevented by the calling of a general election. It is very reasonable to seek clarity on that and, if necessary, we should have time to discuss it. It could not be more basic than that. Given all the time, effort and money that has been put into the inquiry, it seems extraordinary that the Taoiseach cannot give a straight answer as to whether it will definitively report in January on the basis that there will not be a general election before the end of the year. I would appreciate it, therefore, if the Taoiseach could, in a straightforward and upfront manner, give an answer to that simple and reasonable request.

Secondly, last night on Prime Timethere were some harrowing stories and presentations by many families and relatives of people who lost their loved ones. In some cases they were murdered or killed. They were very genuine cases. As the Taoiseach knows, an independent panel of barristers was set up by the Minister for Justice and Equality to investigate these particular cases, including that of Mrs. O'Farrell who lost her son in an appalling situation. In another case, the family of Shane Tuohey outlined the circumstances of his death which, they would assert, were not investigated properly by the Garda. What emerged from the programme was deep dissatisfaction with the process to date in terms of the independent panel and the replies that quite a number of the families have received. I do not know whether the Taoiseach has seen the programme, but it would be worth his while watching it.

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