Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

The points have been well made. I would like to add my voice to the suggestion that the information within the Minister's remit, the information that other Oireachtas Members may have and the contacts they may have had in regard to this matter should be part of the terms of reference of the commission of investigation. I agree that, as Deputies Daly and Wallace suggested, the cases of the other whistleblowers should also be included in the commission of investigation. I agree that the Commissioner should step aside until this investigation is concluded.

The Minister's main defence against the last suggestion is that Commissioner O'Sullivan is entitled to her good name and to due process. Of course, until an investigation is concluded, there is no conviction and there is no definitive certainty on the rights and wrongs of these allegations. However, when serious allegations of this sort are made, generally speaking, it is normal practice in employment or anywhere else, pending an investigation and without prejudice, that people would step aside. This is particularly the case here because, if the Commissioner remainsin situ, given we do not know the truth of these serious allegations, she potentially has a position where she could influence the evidence chain relating to the investigation itself. That is simply not acceptable if we want a proper investigation. I do not think it in any way prejudices anybody's good name. It is just sensible practice for people to step aside without prejudice to allow the investigation to be conducted. If the Commissioner is vindicated, or if the investigation into any of the other matters in regard to political or media involvement, or collusion in a possible smear campaign against Maurice McCabe, finds that none of that took place, then people will be vindicated and that will, no doubt, be made very clear and made public in the aftermath. For now, however, she should step aside.

This saga has gone on and on, with Maurice McCabe and other whistleblowers being treated appallingly and every effort being made to stymie them, or at least the allegations are that this has gone on. However, when we have somebody like Superintendent David Taylor, who was close to Martin Callinan and who was operating at a very senior level subsequently with Nóirín O'Sullivan, making the sort of allegations he is making of a scurrilous smear campaign against Maurice McCabe that used the nastiest, most character-impugning allegations about him, it could not be more serious. If there is even a scintilla of truth in this, heads have to roll right along the line. It calls into question the whole culture at a senior level in the Garda, particularly because he is alleging a continuation from Callinan through to the new Commissioner. He is suggesting we are not just dealing with a couple of rotten apples but potentially with a rotten barrel, an absolutely rotten culture, at the most senior level of the Garda, which is trying to smother, defame and intimidate people who are trying to blow the whistle in the public interest about wrongdoing within the Garda.

The Minister needs to take on board what was said today, broaden the terms of reference and insist that Commissioner O'Sullivan steps aside until we get to the truth of these incredibly serious allegations.

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