Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This really is a disgraceful and astonishing turn of events. The Taoiseach should not try to hide behind the good work of gardaí on the beat right across the country.

Very clearly, what is at issue here is the management and leadership within An Garda Síochána. We have heard many times the story about reform that the Taoiseach told again today. At this stage, with yet another scandal breaking, when senior management are revealed again to be incompetent and indifferent - certainly indifferent to the view of the Government or public - and when public confidence is on the floor, people expect the Government, including the Taoiseach, to act. This is not about an individual personality. It is not about Nóirín O'Sullivan as a woman; this is about Nóirín O'Sullivan as the Commissioner, the woman who is in charge. This is about the Commissioner failing to deliver on the reform agenda and, sadly, it is about An Garda Síochána being at such a low ebb and enjoying such low public confidence that the people to whom we speak will have no expectation or real enthusiasm for full reform.

The Taoiseach knows that the Commissioner has to go. Why is he delaying? Why does he refuse to do that which is his job? Is it because Brian Purcell is no longer available to him? Perhaps he does not have the bottle to do what he needs to do. Is it that he does not now have a senior civil servant to run and have a word in the Commissioner's ear? We have tabled a motion but the Taoiseach should not have to wait for that. The Taoiseach should do his job and relieve Nóirín O'Sullivan of her duties.

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