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

The Tánaiste's response is ironic. She talks of accountability but she resolutely refuses to take the first action of accountability, which is to hold the boss - the Commissioner - to account. She will not do that. Let me say, as a member of the Committee of Public Accounts, that we are well conversant with our role and our responsibilities. Let me reiterate: we will get to the bottom of all of this. Let me also tell the Tánaiste that we and, more importantly, the internal audit function of An Garda Síochána have already established the facts.

These facts, which are accepted by the Garda Commissioner, are that 50 bank accounts were opened by An Garda Síochána without the sanction of the Department of Justice and Equality, that An Garda Síochána entered illegally into land leasing arrangements and took the benefit of the revenues that accrued and that the Commissioner was advised of her obligation under section 41 to inform the Minister of the shenanigans in Templemore and refused that advice. These are not matters of contention but established facts. All of the Tánaiste's hot air about accountability amounts to very little. She is not serious about accountability because if she were, she would call Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan to account and relieve her of her duties.

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