Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am before the House myself. I have said to the Deputy that the Cabinet has agreed in principle to hold a public inquiry under the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act 1921. The Deputy mentioned the O'Higgins investigation. Without being too political about this, I understand one of the Deputy's own Members was a number of years ago allegedly given very important information that could have been germane to the report but chose not to give it for a period of three years. People should understand that, over the past period of time, the Government has tried to set up the independent inspectorate, to revamp and restructure GSOC after ten years and set up the completely independent Policing Authority because the perception of the Garda at higher levels over many years has not been what it should have been.

It will take some time to change that culture by the independence in appointment of the independent Policing Authority.

I want to make it clear, as the Minister, Deputy Zappone, pointed out, that when she informed me that she had spoken to the McCabes, the discussion that she had with them was about false allegations made to Tusla. She did not indicate to me any issue of the detail of the discussions she had with the McCabe family or, indeed, the existence or any content of a file that the Deputy mentioned. Obviously, this became very public knowledge on the relevant "Prime Time" programme. The Minister, Deputy Zappone, is very clear that the discussions she had with Sergeant McCabe were of a confidential nature, that she had to respect his privacy and that these things were not in the public domain at the time that she met with them.

I might say mea culpa, because I did say, and I am guilty here of not giving accurate information, I understood, from thinking myself that I had, that she had asked me about meeting Sergeant McCabe in the first place. It actually was her office that consulted with my officials, who told me. She is very clear that she did not tell me that she intended to meet Sergeant McCabe but she did tell her official to tell my office, so I regret that.

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