Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputies Clare Daly and Catherine Connolly for sharing their speaking time with me. I wish the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, luck in his new position. He was helpful while Minister for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Regarding these statements, most people do not question the ability of the Attorney General. It is a matter of the cronyism and the slick way in which the appointment has been made. We have seen this down through the years with the big guns in Irish politics. I sat for days in meetings on the formation of a programme for Government. Unfortunately, as was pointed out earlier, it is a big disappointment for us Independents to see the Government Independents staying very quiet about this. We have seen in the programme for Government reviews of railways, ticket scandals, helicopter services, the Common Agricultural Policy, mental health services and so on. We are a year and a few months into the current Government and nothing has changed. Principles are very important. I believe in standing up for what is right and speaking up, but there is no doubt about it, and let us be honest about it. Some of the Independents who have not said anything in recent days need to come out and state their positions. Independents, especially those in government, should distance themselves from all this. The Government Independents were at the table looking at this and listening to it. They had the opportunity to stall what has gone on. No doubt the system down through the years has been corrupt and rotten, and we need to change things very quickly. Legislation will be introduced next week, which is fine, but this debate will be over and it will be like every other week. We go from debacle to debacle, but what happens? Does one person lose his or her job? Does anyone get any wrap on the knuckles? No. It is a big hoohah for an evening like this and then nothing afterwards.

There is one group here, namely, Fianna Fáil, that has an opportunity to make sure there is transparency on this. During the week, at Leaders' Questions, the new Taoiseach, to put it simply, was not listening to Fianna Fáil. Fianna Fáil members have the trigger in their hands. They can huff and puff but, at the end of the day, it takes one thing, a bit of guts, to be like the wolf and blow the house down, and they should do that.

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