Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Fennelly commission, as the Taoiseach knows, is one of a long litany of investigations and commissions of investigation into myriad scandals that have emerged in recent years around An Garda Síochána and its leadership, management and actions. I am fairly certain that these go back to well before the Taoiseach took office, in fact I referred to some of that yesterday in respect of a Fianna Fáil led Government that was tackled on some of these issues around the revelations that emerged about Donegal. Unfortunately for the Taoiseach, his term of office has been dogged by these issues. He has responsibility for the Garda Commissioner because he refused to give that responsibility to the Policing Authority. If he had done so, the issue would have been dealt with there. It would have decided whether the Garda Commissioner should stay or go. The buck stops with the Taoiseach. That is where it stops. So far he has failed to exercise that responsibility properly, in the public interest or, indeed, in the interests of members of An Garda Síochána.

Then we have this strange relationship between the Taoiseach's party and Fianna Fáil. He is Taoiseach at Fianna Fáil's pleasure. Fianna Fáil now says that it has no confidence in the Commissioner, but it supports the Taoiseach, who continues to express confidence in the Commissioner. The leader of Fianna Fáil rails, quite rightly, against the Taoiseach's lack of action but continues to support his inaction despite his protestation. How does that play out in the public sphere? This latest batch of revelations came out last evening. One would have thought the Minister for Justice and Equality would have presented herself here-----

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