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

I welcome the confirmation that there will be a tribunal of inquiry. The Taoiseach made the point that we must be very careful. I suggest to him that maybe we were all too careful in our response to this saga over the last number of years, particularly considering that the O'Higgins commission of investigation was conducted in an unacceptable manner. That said, I put it to the Taoiseach that the establishment of a tribunal of inquiry - it has not been established yet - is no basis for Ministers not coming into the House to answer questions and being accountable to it in regard to the Tusla file, which is over and above and additional to the protected disclosures issues that gave rise to the inquiry in the first instance. As the Taoiseach, the Minister for Health, the Minister for Justice and Equality and the Minister for Children, in particular, know, the Tusla file indicates an apology was to be given by a State agency to a citizen, namely, Mr. Maurice McCabe. Incredibly, his family was on the file. They were embroiled in it; it is appalling. It is very difficult to understand why that was not revealed to the Cabinet, that is, that a State agency is about to apologise to someone who at this stage is a major public figure in respect of very high-profile cases. There is an onus. This is an important Chamber in terms of accountability. This week, Ministers should come before the House to answer in regard to their responsibilities in this matter and to give straight, clear answers which may clear up a lot. There has been incoherence at the heart of the Government's response to the Tusla file, and that is to put it mildly. There is an opportunity this week in this House for Ministers to do what is normally done in Parliaments, that is, account in the House for their stewardship regarding a particular issue and enlighten the Deputies on whatever challenges and constraints they were operating under, or give explanations as to the lack of coherence in articulating their position on an issue that has given rise to major public interest and major public scandal.

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